STOCKHOLM — Former high jump world champion Patrik Sjoberg of Sweden and two other athletes say they were sexually molested as children by prominent track coach Viljo Nousiainen. The 46-year-old Sjoberg, who won two Olympic silvers and a bronze, wrote in his memoirs that Nousiainen started molesting him when he was 11 and it lasted for four years. He said he decided to speak out after former high jumper Christian Skaar Thomassen told him that he had been abused by Nousiainen, a Finn who died 12 years ago. After Sjoberg’s book was released Thursday, Swedish track coach Yannick Tregaro – who trained Olympic triple jump champion Christian Olsson and women’s high jump world champion Kajsa Bergqvist – said he had been molested by Nousiainen at a similar age. Nousiainen trained Sjoberg to become world champion in 1987, when he also set a world record by clearing 2.42 meters. When Nousiainen died in 1999, the Swedish Athletic Association described him as “probably our most successful and influential coach in modern times.” On Thursday, the organization said it had not heard about the alleged abuse until now, but because “several people have publicly confirmed the same information” there was no reason to doubt the accuracy of the claims. “That Viljo Nousiainen in this way systematically misused the great trust he had as a famous and recognized coach within our sport can never be excused or defended,” association chairman Lennart Karlberg said. “It is entirely opposed to the values of athletics.” Former Olympic high jump champion Stefan Holm, who was coached by his father but also worked with Nousiainen from age 15, told Swedish news agency TT he hadn’t been subjected to anything similar and was surprised by the allegations. “I’m still completely shocked. I have spent time in these circles and with these people since 1991, and never guessed anything,” he said to TT. “Viljo was a fantastic coach and taught me and my dad everything we know. You can’t take that away from him,” Holm said. “But Viljo will probably be seen in a different light after this.” Sjoberg won Olympic silver in 1984 and ’92, and bronze at the 1988 games in Seoul, South Korea. In his book, Sjoberg describes how he felt abandoned by his father after his parents’ divorce and how Nousiainen took advantage of his vulnerability. Nousiainen lived with the family after entering into a relationship with Sjoberg’s mother. Sjoberg says the abuse didn’t end until he was about 15, when he started to have “the body of a grown man.” The 33-year-old Tregaro said the abuse started when he was 12. “My parents had quite a lot of problems at home and I turned to Viljo a lot,” he told Swedish radio. “Successively, during several years, it got worse.” Tregaro, who is in Italy for a training camp with Olsson, said on his Twitter feed Thursday that “it actually feels good to get rid of my suppressed demons.”
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Patrik Sjoberg, Olympic Silver Medalist, Says Coach Molested Him
STOCKHOLM — Former high jump world champion Patrik Sjoberg of Sweden and two other athletes say they were sexually molested as children by prominent track coach Viljo Nousiainen. The 46-year-old Sjoberg, who won two Olympic silvers and a bronze, wrote in his memoirs that Nousiainen started molesting him when he was 11 and it lasted for four years. He said he decided to speak out after former high jumper Christian Skaar Thomassen told him that he had been abused by Nousiainen, a Finn who died 12 years ago. After Sjoberg’s book was released Thursday, Swedish track coach Yannick Tregaro – who trained Olympic triple jump champion Christian Olsson and women’s high jump world champion Kajsa Bergqvist – said he had been molested by Nousiainen at a similar age. Nousiainen trained Sjoberg to become world champion in 1987, when he also set a world record by clearing 2.42 meters. When Nousiainen died in 1999, the Swedish Athletic Association described him as “probably our most successful and influential coach in modern times.” On Thursday, the organization said it had not heard about the alleged abuse until now, but because “several people have publicly confirmed the same information” there was no reason to doubt the accuracy of the claims. “That Viljo Nousiainen in this way systematically misused the great trust he had as a famous and recognized coach within our sport can never be excused or defended,” association chairman Lennart Karlberg said. “It is entirely opposed to the values of athletics.” Former Olympic high jump champion Stefan Holm, who was coached by his father but also worked with Nousiainen from age 15, told Swedish news agency TT he hadn’t been subjected to anything similar and was surprised by the allegations. “I’m still completely shocked. I have spent time in these circles and with these people since 1991, and never guessed anything,” he said to TT. “Viljo was a fantastic coach and taught me and my dad everything we know. You can’t take that away from him,” Holm said. “But Viljo will probably be seen in a different light after this.” Sjoberg won Olympic silver in 1984 and ’92, and bronze at the 1988 games in Seoul, South Korea. In his book, Sjoberg describes how he felt abandoned by his father after his parents’ divorce and how Nousiainen took advantage of his vulnerability. Nousiainen lived with the family after entering into a relationship with Sjoberg’s mother. Sjoberg says the abuse didn’t end until he was about 15, when he started to have “the body of a grown man.” The 33-year-old Tregaro said the abuse started when he was 12. “My parents had quite a lot of problems at home and I turned to Viljo a lot,” he told Swedish radio. “Successively, during several years, it got worse.” Tregaro, who is in Italy for a training camp with Olsson, said on his Twitter feed Thursday that “it actually feels good to get rid of my suppressed demons.”
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