In the dispute over compensation for pain and suffering for Jan Hempel because of years of abuse by his trainer, everything boils down to an arbitration process between the former world-class water jumper and the German Swimming Association (DSV). “We have given our consent to the arbitration procedure,” said Hempel’s lawyer Thomas Summerer on Thursday of the German Press Agency. “If there is an arbitration procedure and there is an agreement, then a lawsuit would be averted.”
Until then, the threat of legal action will be maintained. There is no date for the procedure yet.
In August last year, Hempel made public the allegations of sexual abuse against his long-time coach Werner Langer, who died in 2001, in an ARD documentary entitled “Abused – Sexualized Violence in German Swimming”. Accordingly, Langer had passed from 1982 to 1996 at the Olympic silver medalist in Atlanta in 1996. In the film, Hempel accused the DSV of knowing about the allegations in 1997 but not having done anything decisive.
In March, Summerer announced on the ARD “Sportschau” that Hempel wanted to sue the association for seven-digit damages and damages. The DSV has been trying for a long time to find an amicable solution and avert a lengthy legal dispute. “So far there has been no financial offer from the DSV,” said Summerer. The association declined to comment on the matter.
