Why indivisibles such as Olympic Sailor Mrs. Bekatorou should be considered whistleblowers. Article by Aris Danikas in AthensLive
Earlier this year, Greece joined the latest “MeToo” outcry over sexual abuse in sports and the theater industry following the reports of sexual harassment in the country. Olympics sailing champion Sofia Bekatorou has spoken about having been sexually abused at a young age by a senior official of the Hellenic Sailing Federation. Bekatorou, a Gold medalist, now 43, broke her silence after 20 years and sparked an investigation. Meanwhile, as the perpetrator named in reports was a member of the party, New Democracy suspended his membership, while the Hellenic Sailing Federation has reportedly requested and received the man’s resignation. Deputy Minister of Sports Lefteris Avgenakis announced that he suspends all funding to the Greek Sailing Federation and ordered an audit of its board members’ assets, as part of an investigation into allegations of sexual assault, mismanagement, and corruption by senior officials. Bekatorou’s confession unleashed a tsunami of sexual abuse and harassment revelations by other women in Greece. From Bekatorou’s revelations, The MeToo movement in Greece has moved from the world of Sports to the world of Arts and Entertainment with female and male actors denouncing sexual harassment and abuse but also bullying by directors in theater and the film industry. As Despina Papageorgiou, the AthensLive Weekly Digest Newsletter put it a few weeks ago: “Becatorou will be remembered for opening up such an important issue in Greece. And this is a contribution in the country’s culture greater than her gold medal.” Or keeptalkinggreece: “Fact is that Bekatorou opened the bag from Aeolus and finally let the wind out for despicable circumstances and conditions in the Greek sports world that were hidden under the carpet for years: abuse of power by those who decided on the fate of an athlete, sexual harassment and abuse, the fear of victims to be targeted, not find support or even being expelled from the sports they loved and felt dedicated to.”
