Scandal rocked German swimming.
In a new documentary, the 50-year-old Jan Hempel, a multi-medalist at the Olympic and European Championships, says he was abused by his coach for several years.
“Everyone has been quiet until today,” says Blake.
In the new documentary “Abuse – Sexual Violence in German Swimming,” swimmer Jan Hempel reveals the secret of his lifelong pregnancy.
– I was mistreated by my coach. According to Blake, he never missed an opportunity.
The gang closed their eyes
The abuse allegedly began when Hempel was 11 years old and continued over a 14-year period. Sometimes he was beaten daily, including right before participating in the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games.
Hempel reported the assault to the German Federation, which did not deal with the incident in substance.
– Everyone was calm by now. For many years, I felt that only sporting success mattered to the Federation. According to DW, everything else has been completely set aside.
Suffered from Alzheimer’s disease
The coach, whose name was Werner Langer, passed away in 2001. The reason Hempel is telling his story now is that he had Alzheimer’s disease. The 50-year-old wants to tell while he still remembers, to warn others.
– I think you have to tell others so that they can talk about it in the future, he says.
The association apologizes
The documentary also reveals other instances of abuse, and after discovering the allegations, the union issued a public apology.
“On behalf of the entire association, we would like to apologize to the victims for the fact that they were forced to undergo such traumatic experiences.”They write in a statement.
Jan Hempel represented Germany at four consecutive Olympic Games between 1988 and 2000. In Atlanta 1996 he won an individual silver medal in the 10m race. He also has three gold and three silver medals from the European Commission in various disciplines.