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Penny Heyns at the 1996 Olympic Games, where she became the first woman to win Olympic gold over both Olympic breast sections
Photo: Simon Bruty / Getty Images
"The only reason I'm emotional today is because someone is finally listening to me, someone is finally listening to me." This is the sentence Debbie Wade said these days at a press conference in Johannesburg.
She was there together with experts from the aid organization "Women and Men against Child Abuse" (WMACA) to tell her story.
Not for the first time.
But no one had wanted to hear it in the past 40 years.
And so the 51-year-old now says that she was sexually abused as a young girl.
It started in 1979 in a swimming club in Durban.
She was ten years old then.
The alleged perpetrator: the then 13-year-old son of her trainer, himself a swimmer and rising star.
Wade knows of at least three other women who make similar allegations.
Wade has now filed a complaint with another woman, against the man who has since advanced to the highest coaching positions.
In fact, her allegations are part of an investigation into three coaches.
"Nobody took me seriously"
Wade's battle for hearing began when she learned of two more victims in 2003.
She knew, “This is not just about me.
This is about the fact that 24 years later I heard that this person continued to abuse other girls. ”Wade turned to the president of the swim club.
Ron Andrews said that did not surprise him, that there had been many complaints about the accused but no evidence.
Did she have any evidence?
“That was the end of the discussion.
He never got in touch with me again. "
She then wrote a letter to the accused, pleading with him to stop his attacks.
She then learned from a third person that the accused had dismissed the allegations, saying that they had a friendly relationship.
She told her story over and over again over the years, “but no one has ever taken me seriously.
They preferred to believe Mr. X. "
In July of this year she tried again and went straight to the President of Swimming South Africa.
Alan Fritz announced an independent investigation.
Since she had not heard from Fritz even months later, Wade contacted WMACA last month.
The Guardian first reported on the allegations.
For double Olympic champion Penny Heyns, who won two gold medals in Atlanta in 1996, this case is just another example of the fact that abuse in sport is not an isolated incident - and that sport in South Africa also has problems.
“I can't say I was surprised to hear of the recent swimming allegations.
When you grow up in sports, you hear rumors, and recently we've seen that this is a global problem, ”the former swimming star told SPIEGEL.
“The gymnasts in the USA, the national women's team in Afghanistan, the suicide of the South Korean triathlete Choi Suk-hyeon.
There have been cases everywhere, and we are sitting here on the southern tip of Africa thinking we are fine.
I think that shows that we are not doing well. "
The 46-year-old founded Sportsvoice.org together with four other women from the world of sport - a former athlete, two coaches and an association president.
A safe point of contact for survivors, as many affected people call themselves as victims, as well as for those currently affected by physical, psychological or sexual abuse.
South Africa has one of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world, especially against women and children.
The patriarchal character of society still ensures that women and girls are not seen as equal.
There have been a few positive changes in South Africa, for example with courts that specifically deal with these cases.
The fact that half of South Africa's government has consisted of women since the election last year has also contributed to the fact that issues that directly affect women are finally coming into focus.
“But the poison in our society is definitely still there.
And it also spills over into sport, ”says Heyns.
In addition, trust in the police through reports of blame or trivialization, especially in the case of violence against women and girls, is not exactly high.
It was no different in sport: "I wouldn't say that they were purposely covered up, but they weren't promoted either," says Heyns.
"And even those who go to the police often come across officers who are not properly trained or who simply have this attitude that you don't have enough evidence."
Wade also shared a similar experience at the press conference when she first contacted the authorities in 2004.
The fact that she has now, 40 years after the above-mentioned incidents in that swimming club in Durban, has been able to file a complaint is also due to the fact that the limitation period of 20 years for sexual offenses in South Africa was recently lifted.
Athletes only means to an end
"Sports Voice" wants to help, educate and educate.
"Even today, many coaches still think they have to be tough and their methods feared," says Heyns.
You would have to ask yourself: Why do I want to be a trainer?
Am I doing this because I want to develop a healthy person and help them reach their full potential?
Or do I coach because I want to achieve something for myself?
“If it's the latter, then for the coach the athletes are only a means to an end.
Unfortunately there are still far too many of this variety in use. "
"The modus operandi of many trainers is to break the child so that they can build it up"
Penny Heyns
“Sports Voice” has also worked with experts to develop a general concept for protection against sexual violence in sport that can be used by any association with just a few adjustments.
Because: So far, hardly any sports association in South Africa has had such concepts.
You can't even find that on the swimming association's homepage.
“We wanted to create a turnkey solution so that the sports associations no longer have an excuse.
That there are guidelines for training, secure reporting options, a support network.
We owe it to today's youth to offer them a safe environment. «So that it doesn't take another 40 years for someone to listen.
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