It was at the International Fencing Federation's congress in Lausanne, Switzerland, in November that Otto Drakenberg took the podium.

Hans wanted to raise the issue of sportswashing and thought it was problematic that a country like Saudi Arabia is awarded a championship when the rights of women and LGBTQ people are not respected.

Sweden's chairman was greeted by a loud banging sound that drowned him out.

In addition, Drakenberg was also interrupted by how the International Fencing Federation's vice president, the Egyptian Abdelmoneim Elhamy El Husseiny.

The incident was caught on film.

- Perhaps the most surprising thing was that no one, no one from the free world stands up.

That the wall of complaint may stand unchallenged.

I think that was terrifying, Drakenberg told SVT on Friday.

Norway: "I've never experienced that"

Present at the congress in November was Norway's chairman of the fencing association, Björn Faye.

- I have never experienced someone trying to sabotage in this way.

They sat banging the table and hissing, so it was a strange experience.

What did you feel then and there?

- I was most disappointed and thought it was sad that a delegate is not allowed to say what he thinks and thinks and that the others were not even willing to listen to what he had to say.

That was brave of Otto.

He felt that he did not receive any support.

Should you have done something differently?

- Otto asked to have the floor when a decision was to be made.

Then it is not so easy to just stand up and support.

I'm not sure I could have done anything there and then.

But he brought nine people with him to oppose Saudi Arabia getting the host.

"Long way to walk"

Faye completely agrees with Drakenberg and thinks it's strange that the discussion hasn't come up sooner.

- I think the fencing world has become more polarized lately.

The USA and Canada are completely in line with what the European countries think.

But South America, most countries in the East and the Arab countries have a completely different attitude.

It makes it difficult to address some things.

What will happen in the future?

- I'm afraid we have a long way to go, but that doesn't mean we should stop trying.

See the interview with Björn Faye in the clip above.