GERMAN BOXING STILL ON THE ROPES OVER PAPKE ALLEGATIONS

Photo: POWERFBOXING.COM

Exclusive Report by Olaf Schroeder

18.06 - Although it is only three days until German fan favourite Vitali Klitschko will step in the ring with world heavyweight champion Lennox Lewis in Los Angeles, the dominating topic in German boxing are still the shocking child abuse allegations against Berlin veteran trainer Werner Papke, 71 (not 68, as previously reported).

Ever since Berlin paper BZ broke its first story last Friday, Papke has found himself in the center of discussions and speculations on a daily basis, with newspapers openly referring to him as ‘child abuser Papke’. Over the past weekend, other former boxers of Papke have apparantly reported further incidents to Berlin police, who are investigating on behalf of the Berlin distric attorney.

The story broke when now-retired Kevin Wieding and Thomas Lesnik admitted to have been sexually abused by their ex-trainer and took another turn for the worst when former German welterweight champion Mike Reissmann reported to police to have been raped on different occasions by Papke while still being a teenager prior to the start of his professional career in 1992.

Now Reissmann is scheduled to appear on the popular talk show programm ‘The Johannes B. Kerner Show’ this evening on German television, in which it is expected he will repeat the charges against Papke. The German Boxing Federation has in the meantime also taken action and suspended the trainers licences until the case is brought to a conclusion. While public comments from promoters and other boxers ranged from disbelieve to disgustment over the allegations, one insider who requested anonymity to this reporter instisted: “They are all hypocrites. It was common knowledge in German boxing circles that Werner feels attracted by young boys.” This view is strongly supported by controversial female Berlin promoter Eva Rolle. “As far ago as four years, Papke was not allowed to attend my shows. I have even informed Universum Box-Promotion (who worked with Papke for many years) and other fellow-promoters at that time that there is enough proof that Papke is abusing his young boxers,” Rolle says.

To make the story even worse, BZ has now reported that Papke first tried to coax Wieding and Lesnik back to his fold with contract offers after the allegations were first made public on Friday. When that didn’t work, Wieding said: “Via a third person, Papke has threatened to shoot us in the knees.” Reissmann is said to not have appeared at his work place since Friday because “as long as Papke is not arrested, I have no rest.” There is even speculation that Papke himself is in possession of a gun and might try to leave the country.

The veteran coach himself vehemently denied the allegations when talking to a BZ reporter and has hired a lawyer in an attempt to clear his name. Papke contends that he never even saw a boxer naked, not even in the showers, and that all this is just made up as a revenge bid by his former fighters who felt their careers were mishandled by Papke.

More and more, this whole sorry episode has the look of a very bad criminal story and one has a feeling that more twists and turns are just around the corner.