Olympic athlete who sparked #metoo movement in Greece testifies about alleged sexual abuse

Olympic sailing champion Sofia Bekatorou leaves the prosecutor's office in Athens following her statements on being sexually assaulted by a sports official in 1998

Credit: ALKIS KONSTANTINIDIS /Reuters

A Greek Olympic sailing champion testified in court on Wednesday about her experiences of being sexually abused by an official, part of a case that has sparked a belated #metoo movement in Greece.

Sofia Bekatorou, one of Greece’s most decorated Olympians, has been widely praised for opening up about the abuse she says she suffered at the age of 21 and unleashing a long-suppressed debate in the largely conservative country.

Now 43 and the mother of two children, she revealed last week how she was subjected to "sexual harassment and abuse" by a senior official of the Hellenic Sailing Federation while taking part in trials for the 2000 Sydney Olympics.

She said the official performed a “lewd act” after inviting her to his hotel room in 1998. The experience had left her feeling “ashamed”, she said.

After arriving at a prosecutor’s office in Athens to give evidence on Wednesday, she said: "I hope that other women and people who have experienced sex abuse will come forward, so that our society will be healthier, and we’ll no longer be afraid.”

Although under Greece’s statute of limitations, the incident occurred too long ago for prosecution, Ms Bekatorou’s testimony may help more recent cases come to light as prosecutors investigate.

She did not name the official who allegedly abused her, but soon after she made the claims, the vice-president of the Hellenic Sailing Federation stepped down.

Sofia Bekatorou at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens 

Credit: MENAHEM KAHANA /AFP

Aristeidis Adamopoulos denied any wrongdoing and said he had stepped down so that the sailing federation, which had initially dismissed the allegations as an “unpleasant incident,” could be spared “negative publicity”.

He was also suspended from his position as a prominent member of Greece’s ruling New Democracy party.

The athlete said she had kept quiet over the alleged abuse until now out of fear that her career would be affected.

"At that time we did not have any collaboration with a sports psychologist, and of course I would never talk to my parents because they would have stopped me from sailing," she told a teleconference on sexual abuse last week.

Since speaking out, a number of other sportswomen have made similar allegations of groping and lewd behaviour.

Mania Bikof, a former water polo player, said she had been forced to roll down her swimming costume to her waist so a medic could examine a shoulder injury.

Rabea Iatridou, a former swimmer, said she had been groped by a doctor who told her to remove all her clothes when she went to him with a knee injury.

Marina Psychogyiou, another sailing champion, said she was also harassed by a federation official.

Greek President Katerina Sakellaropoulou (R) welcomes Sofia Bekatorou at the Presidential Palace on January 18

Credit: Alkis Konstantinidis /REUTERS 

Ms Bekatorou set off a debate on social media about sexism in Greek society and earned praise from politicians, including the prime minister and the president.

“Sofia bravely broke the chain of fear and silence, showing the way for the stigma of guilt to pass from the victim to the perpetrator,” said Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis.  

Maria Syreggela, a government minister, said Ms Bekatorou’s decision to speak out was "worth more than the 10 medals with which she has honoured Greece."

On social media, women offered the Olympic champion solidarity, tweeting under the hashtag #metisofia (on Sofia’s side).