After the World Athletics Championships in September, where Nafi Thiam retired for the first time in her career in the aftermath of a conflict with the Belgian athletics federation, the three-time Olympic heptathlon champion is training again. But she has not set specific goals for 2026, says her manager Helena Van der Plaetsen. It is very uncertain whether she will play at the European Indoor Athletics Championships in Poland from March 20 to 22.
“Nafi cannot shape her sporting goals because there is uncertainty about how she will approach such a championship,” said Van der Plaetsen. “Today, the situation during the World Cup in Tokyo has not been resolved. There have been no apologies from the federation and no acknowledgment of the damage done to her. To move forward, change is needed. She has also made a public statement about this. She does not want a repeat of Tokyo in future championships.”
Leaked emails showed that two French-speaking and three Flemish athletics officials did not want Nafi Thiam to participate in the World Cup in Tokyo if she refused to sign the Belgian Athletics code of conduct. It is with those five people that Thiam has a problem. Two of them, the Flemish chairman Gery Follens and the Flemish CEO Ludwig Peetroons, have now resigned or retired. But the three others, the Flemish top sports coordinator Rutger Smith, the French-speaking chairman Jessica Mayon and the French-speaking technical director Stéphanie Noël, are still in office. All three took office relatively recently and have no intention of resigning.
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“As a French-speaking league, we want to enter into discussions with Nafi Thiam,” says LBFA president Jessica Mayon. “Our lawyer asked to talk to Thiam in October, but there was no answer.”
Rutger Smith will also remain seated for the time being. The Dutchman had stated two weeks ago after the first hearing in the Flemish Parliament that he had made mistakes, but also that he still feels the support of Athletics Flanders, Sport Vlaanderen and the Flemish Minister of Sports, Annick De Ridder (N-VA). Sofie Debaere, the new CEO of Atletiek Vlaanderen, also held her hand over his head on Wednesday after the second hearing in the Flemish Parliament.
“Rutger is a supporter of Nafi and has reached out to her,” Debare said. “There is consultation between the top sports coordinator and the athletes and we must now focus on restoring trust instead of sacrificing people for the outside world.”
“Irreparable damage”
Table of Contents
- Athletics associations scrap code of conduct that Thiam refused to sign, Smith issues mea culpa: “Regrets about internal email”
- Top sports coordinator Rutger Smith breaks the silence: “The image that was presented of me is one-sided”
- Athletes react divided after Thiam case hearing: “We remain a bit hungry”
The only question is whether the damage can still be repaired. For Thiam the answer is already negative. Both for Smith and Mayon. “A number of things need to change in consultation with Nafi so that she can regain the trust of people in a position of authority at Belgian Athletics,” says Van der Plaetsen. “She expects that a safe top sports climate will be created at championships. It is not up to Nafi to take the first steps, but up to the federations.”
Thiam is also considering filing a claim for damages against Belgian Athletics. “She is still considering whether or not this should be done through legal means,” says Kim Vanderlinden, her other manager.
If no comparison is found, Thiam will no longer participate in athletics in the Belgian colors. That means no more European Championships, World Cups or Olympic Games. She can still participate in individual meetings, such as the all-around event in Götzis at the end of May.
“It would be a great shame if Nafi could no longer participate in championships,” says Van der Plaetsen. “She still has some very good years ahead of her and is still looking forward to winning medals. She has always represented Belgium with great pleasure. That is precisely why we must ensure that she can perform in maximum conditions. At some point it is necessary to get back to the table.”
Athletics associations scrap code of conduct that Thiam refused to sign, Smith issues mea culpa: “Regrets about internal email”
During the second hearing on athletics in the Flemish Parliament, other athletes and coaches also had their say. Sprint star Imke Vervaet, who announced her retirement last week, was destructive of her federation alongside hurdler Paulien Couckuyt.
“There is no respect for the coaches and the athletes,” Vervaet said. “The federation makes a distinction between internal, external or part-time athletes. The distinction is made on the basis of the trainer with whom you train instead of performance. That is discrimination. Athletes must be able to freely choose their own framework. Atletiek Vlaanderen says that centralization is not mandatory, but it does use it as a means of pressure through resources. That is a form of abuse of power. We already published an open letter a year ago and note that nothing has happened with it. We are athletes are not satisfied with how the World Cup went. We hope that the policy can finally change.”
Ivo Hendrix, trainer of Pieter Sisk, took a sharp shot at the centralization policy of Athletics Flanders, which is shaped by Smith. “It one size fits allmodel is outdated worldwide. Almost all budgets disappear into the bottomless pits of the centralization model. This policy catapults us back into the past with a dirigiste and centralist approach.”
After the hearings, the Flemish Members of Parliament will question the Minister of Sports, Annick De Ridder (N-VA). So far, she has always given her blessing to Athletics Flanders and the improvement program that has been drawn up. She also said that she did not want to throw top sports coordinator Rutger Smith “under the bus”. She will only answer new questions about the Thiam case after the New Year. Then the new indoor season is quickly approaching.
Top sports coordinator Rutger Smith breaks the silence: “The image that was presented of me is one-sided”
