Sjoberg's sexual abuse revelation shocks Sweden
Source: Agencies |
April 29, 2011, Friday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
FORMER high jump world record holder Patrik Sjoberg has shocked Swedish athletics by revealing that his coach and stepfather Viljo Nousiainen sexually abused him as a young boy.
The 46-year-old Sjoberg, who won two Olympic silver medals and set a world record of 2.42 meters in 1987, said in his new autobiography "What You Didn't See" that the abuse started when he was 10 or 11 and continued into his teenage years.
Nousiainen, who died in 1999, was a respected figure in Swedish athletics and was instrumental in turning Sjoberg into one of the world's best high jumpers.
That reputation is now in tatters. Yannick Tregaro, coach of Sweden's Olympic triple jump champion Christian Olsson, has also said he was abused by Nousiainen.
"It was a tough period," Sjoberg told Swedish TV yesterday of the time he spent writing the book. "There were many memories that appeared that I had suppressed, but I felt as time went on that it became more and more important."
First instance
Sjoberg said that the first instance of abuse occurred at a meeting in Malmo where he was forced to share a room with his coach. Nousiainen later started a romantic relationship with Sjoberg's mother and eventually moved in to their apartment.
Sjoberg said the lack of a father figure in his life made him a target for Nousiainen.
"That was how he worked, he noticed which of the guys had difficult home lives, who weren't used to hearing positive things (about themselves)," he said.
Sjoberg said Nousiainen would subject him to what he called "scientific examinations", ostensibly to measure his muscles and development. "I found it very offensive, but he said that it was essential for training," Sjoberg told SVT.
"In the beginning you were told that Viljo was the best coach and that very few got to work with him, so you believed him. At the same time you knew something wasn't right."
Asked why he had waited until now to make the abuse public, Sjoberg said it was because of "the tremendous shame".
The 46-year-old Sjoberg, who won two Olympic silver medals and set a world record of 2.42 meters in 1987, said in his new autobiography "What You Didn't See" that the abuse started when he was 10 or 11 and continued into his teenage years.
Nousiainen, who died in 1999, was a respected figure in Swedish athletics and was instrumental in turning Sjoberg into one of the world's best high jumpers.
That reputation is now in tatters. Yannick Tregaro, coach of Sweden's Olympic triple jump champion Christian Olsson, has also said he was abused by Nousiainen.
"It was a tough period," Sjoberg told Swedish TV yesterday of the time he spent writing the book. "There were many memories that appeared that I had suppressed, but I felt as time went on that it became more and more important."
First instance
Sjoberg said that the first instance of abuse occurred at a meeting in Malmo where he was forced to share a room with his coach. Nousiainen later started a romantic relationship with Sjoberg's mother and eventually moved in to their apartment.
Sjoberg said the lack of a father figure in his life made him a target for Nousiainen.
"That was how he worked, he noticed which of the guys had difficult home lives, who weren't used to hearing positive things (about themselves)," he said.
Sjoberg said Nousiainen would subject him to what he called "scientific examinations", ostensibly to measure his muscles and development. "I found it very offensive, but he said that it was essential for training," Sjoberg told SVT.
"In the beginning you were told that Viljo was the best coach and that very few got to work with him, so you believed him. At the same time you knew something wasn't right."
Asked why he had waited until now to make the abuse public, Sjoberg said it was because of "the tremendous shame".
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
