Wingate and the Association will pay millions to injured gymnasts
Two athletes who retired due to shoulder injuries sued, claiming the establishment prioritized achievements over health. The court agreed and warned: "Motivation must not cause lifelong damage."
The Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court recently ruled in favor of two artistic gymnasts who suffered shoulder injuries and were forced to retire from competitive sports, in their lawsuit against the Gymnastics Association, the Wingate Institute, and the Olympic Committee. Judge Dr. Menachem (Mario) Klein concluded that the damage was a direct result of the intense training regimen. The court ordered compensation of approximately 1.12 million shekels for one athlete and 505,000 shekels for the other.
Both plaintiffs, aged 30, were members of the Israeli national team. In their March 2020 lawsuit, they argued that the organizations "prioritized team achievements and competition participation over physical health." The athletes stated that despite repeated complaints of shoulder pain, they were only referred to physiotherapy rather than receiving in-depth medical examinations, leading to long-term physical deterioration.
The defendants argued that injuries are an inherent risk in artistic gymnastics and that focusing on physiotherapy is standard practice. However, Judge Klein rejected the claim that the gymnasts had assumed such risks.
"I do not believe that athletes accept being injured, or expect it to happen specifically to them," the judge wrote, adding that society has a duty to protect athletes so that their drive for success does not result in lifelong damage.
Court experts assessed the first plaintiff's permanent disability at 23.5% and the second at 19.25%. In addition to the compensation, the defendants were ordered to pay legal fees and attorney's costs totaling approximately 382,000 shekels.
