“Why did you stop?” is the opening line of German gymnastics star Amelie Pfeil‘s recent post. “This question is difficult for me to answer to this day,” added the 20-year-old gymnast. While grappling with the answers to that question is difficult, elite gymnasts quitting the sport has become disturbingly common. However, it doesn’t take away from Pfeil’s ordeal; rather, it does the opposite.

“Most of the time I say ‘my back was not cooperating anymore.’ But that’s only half the truth,” added the gymnast. Unfortunately, the chain of events and the years of mistreatment that led to the physical problems are the real issues. Amelie Pfeil, who moved to Stuttgart to chase her fashion, soon found herself struggling to survive.

Now that she’s finally stepped away from that system, the once promising gymnastics talent can see the bigger picture. “My boundaries and complaints were not taken seriously. Instead of support, there was only pressure, and every day felt like a battle – not for gymnastics, but for survival in the system,” revealed Pfeil. Her words moved the gymnastics community.

Fans didn’t just comment in solidarity but praised the 20-year-old just for having the courage to speak the truth. “I am so proud of you,” commented one fan after reading how the gymnast didn’t blame the sport, but how the system treats those who chose to compete. However, the fans weren’t the only ones who chose to comment; even her fellow gymnasts flocked to the comments.

“Very strong and true words!!” commented fellow elite gymnast Emma Malewski. Malewski, who won gold in the balance beam in the 2022 European Championships, climbed the ranks through the same system. And despite her success at the international level, even Malewski couldn’t help but support her fellow gymnasts. 23-year-old Carina Kröll also showed solidarity.

“I’ve seen so many people break down from this – and in the end, myself,” said the former gymnastics star, Pfeil. While Pfeil broke away from the system that broke her mentally and physically and rediscovered her love for the sport, “the passion didn’t return,” added the 20-year-old. Coincidentally, another gymnast who trained in Stuttgart had also come forward just hours before Pfeil.

Another fellow gymnastics star shared her challenges with Amelie Pfeil

In the end, Amelie Pfeil had to step away from gymnasts. “I had to let go to protect myself,” clarified the gymnast. “You are incredibly strong. No one has power over you now. Thank you,” commented another fan. The fan appreciated that despite the ordeal, Amelie Pfeil managed to pull herself out of the downward spiral and realize her self-worth beyond the scoreboard.

Meanwhile, fellow gymnast Catalina Santos posted about her own ordeal as a competitive gymnast. The stark similarities between the experiences of the two gymnasts stood out. “My value depended on being able to ‘function’ and due to the atmosphere at training, I never felt like I could talk about it,” wrote Santos. So it didn’t come as a surprise when she also shared Pfeil’s post on her Instagram story.

The German gymnastics star who commented on Amelie Pfeil also commented on Catalina Santos’s confession. Carina Kröll only used emoticons to convey her solidarity in Pfeil’s post; she wrote a comment on the 18-year-old former gymnast’s post. “I am proud of you! Very brave to open up like this,” wrote Kröll, who continues to compete at the national and internal level.

Gymnast Emma Malewski, “Proud of you and your words! It’s important to talk about this,” on Santos’s post. And while all their comments may sound similar, there’s a good reason. From Malewski’s former teammate Emelie Petz to Amelie Pfeil and Catalina Santos, speaking out against the established system takes immense courage.

To question the system that’s produced Olympians isn’t a trivial task, either. However, both Amelie Pfeil and Catalina Santos’s posts have shown that the gymnastics community is hoping for change. “This post is to show that something needs to change. No athlete should be quiet or suffer in silence anymore.” Pfeil wrote in the conclusion of her post.

“It’s time to use your voice and stand up for yourself,” she added. And at the end of the day, everyone who commented on their posts also hoped to see change.