Swimmer Köhler still suffers consequences of receiving hate messages
Germany's Angelina Koehler reacts disappointed after competing in the final of the women's 100m butterfly swimming event at the Paris La Defence Arena during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Jan Woitas/dpa
Swimming world champion Angelina Köhler is still suffering the consequences of receiving hate messages, which included images with reference to Nazism sent to her.
"I was attacked by Chinese bots in English and German. I was called a Nazi and sent photos with the Hitler salute," the 24-year-old German told the Sport Bild weekly in an interview published on Wednesday.
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"Because of my ADHD diagnosis, people claimed that I was taking medication like Ritalin. But I don't take any medication at all!" she stressed.
The attacks came after Köhler called for clarification after Chinese swimmer Zhang Yufei was included on a list published by broadcasters ARD and The New York Times of 23 Chinese swimmers who tested positive for a banned substance in 2021.
None of the athletes were banned and the scandal broke out a few months before the Paris 2024 Games.
"The whole thing has left its mark on me. I'm now going into the next competitions like the world championships in Singapore with a different feeling. I don't know what it will be like to face the Chinese team. What will it be like with a Chinese audience? Will I be booed?" Köhler.
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Köhler was fourth in the 100 metre butterfly at the Paris Olympics, while Zhang claimed bronze, and the German spoke of a "bitter aftertaste."
During the Games in Paris, Köhler said she was afraid to be out on her own. The hate messages have since decreased, but she still receives some.
"I'm restricted in my everyday life by the consequences. It's like a persecution complex. I still don't drink from a bottle that's already been opened. I have to keep a close eye on my bottle to make sure no one pours anything into it," she explained.
In addition to artificial intelligence tools that scans messages and shields athletes from hate comments, Köhler would like further support from the German Olympic body (DOSB).
"I would like the DOSB to offer a contact person for athletes. So that they don't feel left alone," she said.
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