Former Olympic judo medalist Sergei Aschwanden revealed on the Swiss television network SRF that racist abuse during his childhood directly shaped his athletic career, serving as a vital outlet for his frustration. Speaking as a competitor in the third season of the sports entertainment program Champion der Champions, the 50-year-old athlete discussed how racial hostility impacted both his early life and, decades later, the schooling of one of his four children.
The program, broadcast on SRF 1 with its opening episodes scheduled for Saturday, October 17, 2026, places former Swiss sports stars together in Apulia, Italy, to compete across various challenges. Alongside Aschwanden, the lineup features former world-class competitors including climber Petra Klingler, skier Carlo Janka, schwingen champion Kilian Wenger, ice hockey player Kevin Lötscher, snowboarder Tanja Frieden, and track athlete Anita Weyermann. While the format relies on physical competition and lighthearted camp dynamics, evening conversations on the show’s set pivot toward personal histories, career setbacks, and private struggles.
Childhood Hostility and the Path to the Tatami
During the opening episode of the current season, Aschwanden reflected on his upbringing as the son of a Kenyan mother and a Swiss father. He described experiencing frequent racial abuse in his youth, explaining to fellow competitors that judo provided an essential physical and mental outlet to process the anger generated by those encounters.
Aschwanden transitioned from those formative years into an elite athletic career, claiming medals at World Championships, European Championships, and securing a bronze medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Der Berner mit Wohnsitz bei Lausanne, der im Grossen Rat der Waadt sitzt und heute als Generaldirektor des Tourismusverbands Porte des Alpes amtet, kämpft seit 50 Jahren gegen Rassismus.
Generational Persistence of Daily Prejudice
The discussion on SRF turned toward contemporary society when Aschwanden shared that one of his four children recently encountered racist taunts in a school environment. Expressing dismay at the ongoing prevalence of such behavior, Aschwanden told the media outlet Blick that the persistence of prejudice decades after his own childhood is alarming.
“It is shocking that 40 years later we are still at the same point,” Aschwanden said to Blick, questioning what remains broken within parts of society and noting that everyday racism remains far more pervasive than many realize.
While acknowledging that societal progress does occur, Aschwanden characterized the pace of change as frustratingly slow. Emphasizing that prejudice runs deeper than surface appearances, he stated his intention to continue speaking out and confronting hostility openly, maintaining that verbalizing frustration remains his primary method for coping with anger sparked by discriminatory incidents.
The competition itself is hosted and refereed by Lukas Studer. The final outcome of the 2026 season of Champion der Champions remains undetermined, with the remaining episodes, numbers three through six, scheduled to air during the finale week concluding on October 24, 2026.
