The German Swimming Association (DSV) has apologized to the victims for the allegations of sexualized violence. Sexual abuse and its cover-up had previously been uncovered in the ARD documentary “Abusbt”.
“We would like to take this opportunity to sincerely apologize to all people who have ever had to experience violence, whether physical, mental or sexual, in German swimming,” said a DSV statement on Monday (08/22/2022). One can no longer undo acts from the past, but wants to do “everything in our power” to prevent such acts in the future.
As a concrete measure, the DSV board has been demanding statements from all those responsible for the association since 1997 “to find out whether there was knowledge of Jan Hempel’s allegations”.
Hempel: “Only sporting success is important to DSV”
The former world-class tower diver Jan Hempel had made serious allegations against ex-coach Werner Langer in the ARD documentary “Abused” and spoke of 14 years of sexual abuse. “I was abused by my coach. He never missed a moment not to let his wishes and needs run free,” says Hempel, “I think you owe it to others in the future to talk about it. Everyone have been silent until today.”
The incumbent national diving coach, Lutz Buschkow, is accused of having knowledge of Jan Hempel’s allegations at the time. Buschkow was released from the DSV. “We have to check whether the statements are correct,” said DSV President Marco Troll on ARD.
In the documentation, Hempel expresses his disappointment with the DSV. “I had to feel firsthand for many years that only sporting success is important to the DSV and everything else, whether health or any problems, actually takes a backseat,” says Hempel.
DSV announces that allegations will be “resolutely investigated”
The DSV announced that the prevention officer, Franka Weber, had contacted everyone named in the ARD report since the allegations became known. An offer of help was made and more information was requested. The association also assured that the information on various cases that had been received in the past three days would be “resolutely followed up”.
The DSV went on to say that prevention in sport was “difficult to manage in voluntary work”. The association therefore joined the call for an independent contact point “including the necessary financial support from the public sector”.