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Sexual assault allegations emerge in Austria’s professional skiing scene

Austrian prosecutors said on Friday that they have launched a preliminary enquiry into possible sexual assault in the Alpine country's hallowed professional skiing scene in the 1970s and as recently as 2005.

Published: 24 November 2017 16:47 CET
Sexual assault allegations emerge in Austria's professional skiing scene
File photo of an Austrian ski resort. Photo: Violin/Depositphotos

The probe was sparked by Nicola Werdenigg, a former Olympic skier under her maiden name Spiess, saying this week that she was raped in the 1970s when she was 16 by a male team colleague.

“If you didn't want to play ball then your place (in the team) was in danger. There were cases of assault, sexual assault,” she told the Der Standard daily. “Everyone knew about it. It was seen as normal.”

In a subsequent television interview, Werdenigg, now 59, said that she was also aware of a case of sexual assault taking place in 2005.

READ ALSO: 16 sexual assaults reported in Austria after New Year's Eve celebrations

The head of the Austrian Ski Federation (OeSV), Peter Schroecksnadel, said he was taking the claims “very seriously” and said that Werdenigg has been asked to provide more details on the alleged 2005 incident.

On Wednesday another former skier anonymously backed up the allegations about the 1970s, telling Der Standard that she and others were seen as “fair game” and that a man tried to rape her in a hotel room.

“He said it was his turn,” the woman said. “Everybody had things happen to them back then.”

But another former champion, Annemarie Moser-Proell, who won gold at the 1980 Winter Olympics, told ServusTV on Tuesday that she was unaware of any such abuse taking place.

READ ALSO: 'Men touched my body and I was surprised; I thought this didn't happen in Germany'

TRAIN TRAVEL

New sleeper train for skiers set to connect Austrian Alps with the UK

New plans for an overnight train service would connect the UK via Eurostar to Belgium to Venice via Innsbruck during the winter ski season in the Alps. Here's what we know so far about the planned new service.

Published: 19 June 2024 15:03 CEST
New sleeper train for skiers set to connect Austrian Alps with the UK

The Austrian Alps are certainly a major destination for skiers and winter sports enthusiasts.

While the Innsbruck region is easily accessible by car, train, or flight, a new sleeper train is also in the works, connecting London to the Tyrolean capital before heading on to Venice. 

European Sleeper, a private international night train operator, is developing plans to launch a new overnight train service connecting Brussels to Venice via Innsbruck. This service is specifically aimed at British skiers, offering them a convenient and sustainable way to reach ski resorts in the Austrian and Italian Alps.

The proposed “Good Night Train” would offer a sustainable and convenient alternative to air travel, allowing passengers to travel overnight in sleeper compartments and arrive refreshed at their Alpine destination. Skiers from the UK would be able to access the service via Eurostar and a dedicated coach service connecting them to Brussels, from where they will jump on the Alps-bound train.

READ ALSO: Five European cities you can reach from Austria in less than five hours by train

How will the service run? 

The train is expected to start running from February to Easter holidays in 2025, according to statements given by Elmer van Buuren, co-founder of European Sleeper to Travel Weekly. Departures would take place on Wednesdays and returns from Venice on Sundays, making the journey perfect for long weekend ski trips. The company is also considering increasing the frequency of the service based on demand.

While ticket prices have yet to be decided, van Buuren said they’ll be more affordable than peak season flights to Alpine airports. The trains will accommodate 750 passengers, with the journey to Innsbruck estimated at 15 hours and to Venice at 20 hours.

European Sleeper, which already operates successful overnight routes between Brussels, Berlin, Dresden, and Prague, envisions this new service as just the beginning of a broader expansion plan, with potential routes to the south of France and Barcelona on the horizon.

The company aims to capitalise on the growing trend of “slow travel,” offering a more relaxed and environmentally friendly alternative to air and car travel. 

READ ALSO: The seaside destinations you can reach without a car or plane from Austria

Van Buuren also sees potential for future sleeper train services from London using the Channel Tunnel, although various logistical and regulatory challenges would need to be addressed.

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