Early this morning, the Swedish Fencing Federation submitted its report to the International Olympic Committee's whistleblower service.
The report against the International Fencing Federation concerns both that Otto Drakenberg was silenced at a congress in November and that Saudi Arabia was awarded the Cadet and Junior WC in 2024.
- During this congress, the International Fencing Federation has violated two of the basic principles of the Olympic movement.
One is that you should have the right to speak and express yourself at meetings and the other that you should only award championships to countries where you as a confederation have ensured that democratic rights will be respected, says Otto Drakenberg to SVT Sport.
He believes and hopes that the report will lead to more countries in the sporting world following suit and daring to question questionable decisions and behaviour.
- I believe that a successful investigation of this case will mean that future congresses will be held in the right way, that the ceiling will be higher.
And my hope is that this is the beginning to the end of the current regime that leads the International Fencing Federation through hidden deals, financial bad dependencies and other types of corruption.
Since the video in which Drakenberg is silenced was published in the media, there have been many reactions.
- The reactions in Sweden have been completely overwhelming and almost all have been very positive.
Internationally, it has been completely quiet, says Drakenberg.
At SVT, we have tried several times to get in touch with the International Fencing Federation, but without success.
Nor has Drakenberg discussed the behavior at the congress with anyone in the international association.
- The only contact we have had since the November meeting has been that they returned to the questions I asked of a financial nature.
Otherwise it has been completely quiet.