More and more victims are reporting to the prevention officer, and the Federal Ministry of the Interior is questioning the eligibility for funding: After the allegations of abuse by the former world-class water jumper Jan Hempel against his former coach became known, the pressure on the German Swimming Association (DSV) increased.

"There are still cases every day," said DSV competitive sports director Christian Hansmann on Sunday at the European Championships in Italy.

"Many injured parties and victims have reported to our prevention officer." That is now "everything being collated and documented", and all cases are being followed up, emphasized Hansmann.

In a documentary by ARD entitled “Abused – Sexualized Violence in German Swimming”, Hempel, who came second at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996, reports in moving words on allegations of sexual abuse against his former coach Werner Langer, who has died in the meantime.

From 1982 to 1996 he was repeatedly sexually abused by Langer.

In 1997, Hempel said he informed the national coach at the time about the incident.

He accuses the DSV of having handled the situation incorrectly at the time.

“Of course the allegations are very serious.

We check them both internally and externally with advice," said Hansmann.

He referred to numerous offers from the association for those affected.

"We have to make sure that it doesn't happen again," he said.

"We are in the process of revolutionizing trainer training, bringing this topic of sexualized violence into play from the state to the federal level."

Is that enough to continue to receive full sports funding?

At the political level, the issue of financial support is at least already being questioned.

This was indicated by Mahmut Özdemir (SPD), Parliamentary State Secretary responsible for sport in the Federal Ministry of the Interior, in a contribution published on Sunday by the “Sportschau”.

An association that does not adhere to the requirements and conditions for funding, "that tolerates, does not clarify, covers up sexualised violence, doping or other interpersonal violence - such associations should not receive a cent from tax funds," said Özdemir, but without the DSV specifically one to blame for these things.

DSV sports director Christian Hansmann had previously said on the sidelines of the European Swimming Championships in Italy that there could be consequences for the association such as financial cuts: "Of course, that is to be feared."