Danish swimmer Jeanette Ottesen has just released her first book today, Thursday, October 20th, with the biography ‘Fri’ documenting the 33-year-old’s life in and out of the pool.
A freestyle and butterfly sprinter, Ottesen has appeared in 5 Olympic Games spanning 2004 to 2020 and has collected nearly 50 medals across all elite international swimming competitions. That resume warrants Ottesen to be known as Denmark’s winningest swimmer in history.
According to the Goodreads description, Fri ‘is a tale about being the black sheep of the sport, about being doubtful, insecure and excluded. About the pursuit of acceptance and belonging. About his hatred/love affair with the sport of swimming, about financial hardships in a sport where you lose more than you win.’
Along with details on her aquatic triumphs within the book, however, there are details surrounding the ongoing bullying of retired Olympic medalist Lotte Friis at the hands of Ottesen.
Friis, the 2008 Olympic bronze medalist in the women’s 800m free, trained alongside Ottesen at the National Training Center in Bellahøj, which is where the testy relationship took root.
Ottesen’s book conveys that she and other swimmers bullied Friis as ‘a continuous and solid thing for some years’ but also identified the freestyle ace as ‘a classic victim’ of bullying because ‘she did not make it easy for herself.’
Ottesen’s book continues, “she just lets it go, so she eventually becomes someone you automatically laugh at.” (Danish Media site DK)
TV2 received the following comment from Ottesen specific to this section of ‘Fri’. “I am well aware that some will be outraged. But I say it as it is. It would certainly be easier not to, but somehow I’m actually proud to admit that I’ve made these mistakes.” (TV2)
The situation has not gotten past the other party involved, however, as Friis took to social media to make her thoughts known.
“Today I feel more exposed to the whole of Denmark than I have ever been before. It’s MY story to tell, not hers,” said Friis
“By her need to tell what she perceives as the full story, Jeanette has made sure that my future children, colleagues and everyone else can forever read the story of the “victim of bullying” Lotte.”
We will publish additional updates as they become available.
How in the world do you claim someone is susceptible to bullying and continue to do so?!
I hope Lotte Friis is surrounded by support at home and that she knows how much support there is for her in the broader swimming community.
Bully me Jeanette
Yikes. And believe she has a young daughter too, who will probably read this in the future.
What a terrible example for her.
Imagine having such a decorated athlete for your mom, and then this ends up being the legacy everyone remembers.
Do people think sport is roses ? Before Lotte Danish team was hounding Mette over funding & favouritism . Not surprising Mette Lotte & Pernille escaped to foreign squads.
But for their population & climate they are very successful not only in swimming .
In short as Paloma Faith said ‘Do you want the truth or something beautiful?”
Also, why are you all suddenly.such delicate flowers?
Huh? Sports isn’t for the faint of heart and Friis apparently handled bullying gracefully. But that doesn’t make bullying okay. Of course we want the truth and the truth is that this is a testament to the lack of character in one athlete and a exemplary character in another. And they both picked their own legacy. Just because it happens doesn’t make it okay.
Beautiful. No one could have said this better.
Hamlet was based on a Jutish King , so maybe but maybe no longer Danish . But get a bit of perspective boy , things in Denmark are often grim . Their national motto is Happy To Be Grim .
Hans Christian Andersen ‘s fairy tales are just skilfully layered grim . You know they were the original Goths & sacked hedonistic over happy Rome .
https://sport.tv2.dk/svoemning/2021-10-17-ottesen-fortryder-mobning-af-lotte-friis-jeg-undskylder-af-hele-mit-hjerte
You can read the chapter here. It’s in Danish.
Seems impossible. Danes are supposed to be the happiest people on Earth, right?
Foul & sordid