Less than a year before the Winter Olympics, the American skating association fired Wilma Boomstra. The Dutch short track trainer had been under fire for some time for transgressive behavior, although this was not mentioned at all when she left early.
“We felt she was not achieving the goals we set,” Federal Director Ted Morris told The Washington Post. “You can wait another year, but I just had the feeling that it was not going in the right direction eleven months before the Winter Games.”
50-year-old Boomstra was accused by several short trackers of mental and emotional abuse. Morris did acknowledge that there were points for improvement in communication.
An investigation was launched into her behavior last year, but that has not yet been completed. The last year the Americans under Boomstra only participated in a serious competition at the World Cup in Dordrecht. Because Maame Biney even lacked the best rider, her departure on the basis of sporting grounds raises some question marks.
‘One-sided story’
“We believe that Wilma is technically and tactically one of the best coaches in the world,” Morris said six months ago. “We can all improve in certain areas. We would like to help her.”
Boomstra, who would stop after the Games anyway, later called the whole thing “a one-sided story”.
“Most of those who accused me weren’t in the national team at all. They were just club skaters, who I had to take with me because of the American qualification system, but were not up to the level for a World Cup. If you tell them that, then you are. immediately the bad guy. While I only try to be honest. “
In 2016 the NOS made a portrait of Wilma Boomstra:
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