Former German top diver Hempel seeks compensation over abuse by coach

Former German top diver Jan Hempel has announced he will sue the German Swimming Federation (DSV) for compensation and damages after being sexually abused by his coach during his career.

Hempel’s lawyer, Thomas Summerer, told broadcasters ARD in an interview Sunday that they were seeking more than €1 million ($1.07 million) from the DSV.

Hempel went public with the case last year, and the legal complaint says the two-time Olympic medallist was abused more than 1,200 times during his career by the late coach Werner Langer over 14 years in the 1980s and 1990s.

“It is the most blatant case of abuse that German sport has ever experienced,” Summerer said.

The lawyer spoke of a precedent which could open the door for other athletes to take similar action, and that they were ready to fight in court for many years, if necessary.

“The German Swimming Federation organisation has completely failed in monitoring and controlling its coaches. There was only cover-up. This organisational culpability leads to a federation being liable,” Summerer said.

Hempel had accused the DSV of cover-up last year. The federation then suspended national team coach Lutz Buschkow who was said to have known of the abuse but had done nothing. Buschkow said he only became aware of it when Hempel went public.

Summerer said they had talked with the DSV about compensation and that there had been a verbal agreement in principle but that they were now going to court because nothing has happened since then.

“Nothing has happened that would keep our confidence in the German swimming federation high,” he said.