Success coaches Marjorie Hills and Eve Kiefer will continue to work at Gymnastics, the Flemish Gymnastics Federation. The duo behind Nina Druel’s success among others garnered positive reviews after the Olympics. “We are therefore committed to continuing the collaboration until the Paris 2024 Games,” says Tim Moriau, Gymfed’s Senior Sports Director.
Marjorie Heuls and Yves Kieffer have been at Gymfed since 2009. Together they led the Belgian gymnastics team through multiple European Championships, World Championships and three Olympic Games. In particular, the successes of Nina Druel attracted the attention of the general public.
“Eve and Marjorie have completed a special course with gymnasts in recent years. They have taken their skills to a higher level, which was once again proven by our gymnasts’ best performances during the Games in Tokyo. We look forward to this course. Together to continue the work, And certainly until the 2024 Games in Paris,” says Tim Moreau.
Yves Kieffer and Marjorie Heuls: “We are proud that we can train great athletes and that we have taken Belgian gymnastics to a higher level with them and Gymfed.”
“When we started here, we were on our own, so to speak. Today we are professionally supported by a comprehensive, multidisciplinary team.”
“We have seen Gymfed grow as a federation in recent years and have evolved as coaches. We are determined to continue working with all colleagues so that the athletes continue to perform at their highest level. We are ready for that.”
“Best athletic performance combined with mental and physical health”
Last year, Marjorie Hills and Eve Kiefer ended up in the middle of a storm. Some former gymnasts accused the duo of mental abuse, but gymnasts maintained that such practices were becoming a thing of the past.
Earlier this year, an independent commission of inquiry concluded that the infringing behavior had indeed occurred. Then Hyles and Kiefer apologized.
Tim Moriau says in the duo’s contract extension.
‘We want to be a model again’
“We and the coaches have the will to keep going. We want to commit together towards Paris,” explains Ilse Arys, Gymfed’s general manager.
“When you evaluate, all options are on the table, including stopping. But there was a determination to keep going.”
Have gymnasts heard of this assessment? “We listen to them, but this decision is between the employer and the workers,” he added.
“We are aware that this was not an obvious decision,” Aris notes about the investigation into the infringing behavior. “We have thought about the past and are now looking to the future.”
“The evaluation was about sports and non-sports collaboration. The coaches are committed to improving performance and supporting culture change. We are on this path together.”
“We want to become a model again: the best athletic performance goes hand in hand with the athlete’s physical and mental well-being.”
“We take our responsibility to our gymnasts, past and present. The report is fundamental to our process and we will work with the advice. We must ensure that this situation does not happen again and be proud of this policy.”
The evaluation relates to sports and non-sports cooperation. Coaches are committed to improving processes and supporting culture change. We’ll embark on that journey together.
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