Before Johan Storåkers, who is a liberal municipal councilor in Sundbyberg municipality, was elected chairman of the Swedish Athletics Association in 2019, he was chairman of the Stockholm Athletics Association for nine years.

That board assignment was non-profit, but during a routine review of the association's finances (which since the turn of the year has been called the Gotland and Stockholm Athletics Association), it was discovered in 2021 that Storåkers received just over SEK 600,000 during his presidency.

- We thought it was remarkable with such large amounts, and that it did not make its way through the board or the annual meeting, says the current chairman, Marianne Mæhle Schmidt, to SVT Sport.

Is self-critical

The Gotland and Stockholm Athletics Association hired a lawyer who investigated the case, but his investigation concluded that there was not sufficient grounds to take the matter further criminally.

The Gotland and Stockholm Athletics Association, however, insist that Storåkers has acted reprehensibly, and have therefore chosen not to nominate him for a new stay as chairman of the Swedish Athletics Association.

- From the district's side, we want a different and more transparent leadership, and that is the reason why we do not have confidence in Johan as chairman, says Marianne Mæhle Schmidt.

Johan Storåkers is aware that he has not been nominated by the Gotland and Stockholm Athletics Associations, and is self-critical of what happened.

- During my presidency, I performed a number of operational tasks.

We had a very high workload on the operational organization, at the same time as it is and was very small, he says, and continues:

- So it needed relief.

Then the head of operations had a mandate to give assignments to people who were paid.

So far, no wonder.

However, there is criticism that my operational assignments were not reported to at least the board, and possibly the annual meeting.

- At that point, I am self-critical.

I should have been more open and transparent.

I have great respect for that criticism.

But you learn all your life, and if a similar situation had arisen in the future, I would have analyzed it much more carefully.

But why were you not more open already when it happened?

- I do not want to speculate about it.

That is a few years ago.

On the other hand, I want to be very clear that I am self-critical and would act differently if similar situations arose today.

No one else nominated

Johan Storåkers says that the operational tasks included work with an athletics hall run by the Stockholm Athletics Association, investigative work and work with competitions.

Known by the Nomination Committee

Gotland and the Stockholm Athletics Association have not nominated any other candidate instead of Storåkers, nor is there any other candidate among the nominations received that the Swedish Athletics Association has published on its website.

If Storåkers, despite what happened, is nominated by the nomination committee, which has interviewed Storåkers regarding what happened, its chairman Helene Bourdin does not want to comment on.

- We have received the information and are aware of it, but I do not want to comment on what the nominations will look like because it is not public, she says.

Feels support

Storåkers is, however, aware that the case, which is now becoming public, may affect confidence in him.

- You have to be humble and say that it can certainly be done.

Absolutely.

But you feel confidence from the rest of athletics Sweden right now?

- If you look at the support that is conveyed to you, I perceive it as comprehensive.