Shell-Shocked Swimmer Koehler's Paranoia Amid Chinese Vitriol and Dubious Olympic Bronze
World-renowned pool player Kohler is experiencing intense agitation due to the alleged use of Chinese automated players.
Social media platforms like Facebook, Twitter, Whatsapp, and Email have recently become battlegrounds for trash-talk and Nazi imagery, all directed towards world champion swimmer Angelina Koehler. Post-Olympics, the 24-year-old athlete has been subject to a wave of hate speech, German and English abuse, and Hitler salutes, courtesy of Chinese bots.
Koehler, who was diagnosed with ADHD, was labeled a drug addict due to her diagnosis, a claim she vehemently denies. "This ordeal has left its mark on me. I now approach the World Championships in Singapore with a different feeling. I don't know how it will be to face the Chinese team. What will it be like with a Chinese audience? Will I be booed?" she confided in "Sport Bild."
Stinging Loss to Zhang Yufei, the Questionable Bronze Winner
A heart-wrenching fourth-place finish in the 100m butterfly at the Olympics as a reigning world champion, and a bronze medal won by the controversial Chinese swimmer, Zhang Yufei – all this left a lingering bitterness for Angelina Koehler.
Background: Zhang Yufei is among the 23 swimmers who tested positive for Trimetazidine in a Chinese national competition in early 2021. Although she was ranked on the list, Zhang Yufei was not suspended. The investigation is set against an unpublished report by the Chinese anti-doping agency Chinada, corroborated by several sources.
Koehler called for clarification and voiced her concerns, "She has the medal now and has earned it. The presumption of innocence applies. However, it leaves a bitter aftertaste, and I hope something more comes of it."
Desperate Cry for DOSB Protection
The Paris Games found Koehler fearful of being alone, and the hate messages, although decreased, continued to haunt her. "I'm restricted in my daily life by the consequences. It's like a persecution mania. I still don't drink from any bottle that's already been opened. Special care must be taken with my bottle to ensure no one puts something in it," she professed.
Koehler desires the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) to provide a dedicated contact person for athletes, to alleviate feelings of isolation.
As of now, no specific investigations are underway into doping allegations against Zhang Yufei. Various resources like anti-doping agencies, mental health services, and athlete advocacy groups exist to support athletes dealing with stress, including hate messages and public scrutiny. However, the exact measures applicable to athletes like Angelina Koehler are not typical in the available information.
- The European Parliament, in their capacity as the legislative body of the European Union, are currently discussing the need for stricter regulations on social media platforms to prevent incidents of hate speech and cyberbullying, following the case of world champion swimmer Angelina Koehler.
- In a joint session, the Commission, the Council, and the European Parliament are considering proposals for increased protection for athletes, particularly in regards to mental health services and athlete advocacy groups, as a response to the ongoing struggle faced by young athletes like Angelina Koehler who are subjected to public scrutiny, hate messages, and doping allegations.
