"For twelve years I endured sexual, mental and emotional harassment from powerful and influential men, the scars of which I still bear today. No girl should be subjected to what I was subjected to. This is why I am speaking out today. Wanting to pursue a career should not make us prey to those in positions of power."
This is a breathtaking story from a corner of the Olympic universe. It is about allegations of "serial sexual harassments" by members of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and senior officials of the Association of African Olympic Committees (ANOCA). It is the depressing story of high-ranking Olympic dignitaries who made a woman's life a living hell. It is the story of the deliberate collective failure of the IOC leadership. It is the story of a system of organised irresponsibility.
"That is the story of a girl whose only crime was to dream and work hard to actualise that dream, who turned into prey for those in positions of power."
It is the story of a brave woman who has survived a living nightmare. All the quotations in this newsletter are from the victim of top Olympic officials, perpatrator to those who failed to act.
"Many see themselves as kings of the world and treat people like slaves. They could not understand that I could refuse them anything; including my body."
At the 144th IOC Session in the luxury Greek resort of The Romanos (not to be confused with The Sopranos, as one might easily do), the term of office of outgoing President Thomas Bach is once again being praised. In embarrassingly orchestrated expressions of gratitude, IOC members will also present their Great Leader as a champion of equality. Among the cheerleaders will be several African IOC members, most notably the allegedly corrupt Algerian Mustapha Berraf, the ANOCA president.
After the opening of the session on Tuesday in Olympia, the IOC's propaganda department issued the following message:
"Values first – IOC President Thomas Bach opens 144th IOC Session at Ancient Olympia paying tribute to Olympic history and expressing confidence for the future"
Values first!
We will take a closer look at this. Hold on tight – and try not to throw up!
"While I thought that he wanted to see me for something connected with our work, the next thing he said to me: 'Vous avez l’instrument de travail?' Meaning 'Do you have the work instrument? A condom!' I was petrified. That was the most insulting thing I had ever heard as a women; my dignity was insulted."
Mustapha Berraf, who stumbles from one scandal to the next, enjoys the protection of Thomas Bach. Berraf was recently rewarded for his servility and many discreet services with an extended membership – he should have left the IOC last year for age reasons. And it is Berraf who, as ANOCA president, is at the centre of allegations from a whistleblower who was apparently treated like a slave by him.
Jens Weinreich
The whistleblower reports in a breathtaking documentary about sexual harassment by Olympic dignitaries, which she faced over many years.
"I was helpless under this huge man with the height of a basketball player and the built of a wrestler. I don’t know how I managed, I fought hard, felt his tongue touching my lips. While under him, in my mind I was like that’s it, I am going to be raped, tears flowed down my eyes, and I guess it was when he realised how upset I was he decided to let me go after serious struggle."
The woman had ideals. Olympic ideals. She was permanently humiliated. She fought. She lost her job. She was abandoned to her fate by numerous IOC members, IOC directors and the IOC president. Her cries for help fell on deaf ears.
She survived the horror.
"This is a story, which I never wanted to tell to the world by reason of the stigma, the shame, the reputational damage; that explains why I went the extra mile to be heard to ensure that the dirty linen in ANOCA is washed in-house. Unfortunately, those in positions of power have refused to be rational, hiding under the diplomatic immunity granted to them by the Nigerian Government."
She is telling her story and sharing documents because she knows that many women in the so-called Olympic family feel the same way.
That is also the case far beyond Africa, where Thomas Bach has invested a lot over the course of his Olympic career and where he has some of his most obedient subjects, on whom he counts in the presidential election on Thursday.
"I am alive thanks to God.
I will limit my story to what I was a victim of, the aim being to avoid more victims and to hold the persons concerned accountable."
The whistleblower reports that other women in the IOC (there are currently 48 out of a total of 109 members) are said to have had similar experiences. Some female IOC members know the whistleblower's story and, like many men at the highest IOC level, have done almost nothing to protect the woman nor hold those responsible to account.
There were basically only two exceptions.
