Pelle Svensson
Encyclopedia
Per Oskar "Pelle" Svensson (born 6 February 1943 in Sollefteå
, Västernorrland County
, Sweden
) is a Swedish
former Greco-Roman wrestler
and lawyer
. His achievements include a silver medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics
in the light heavyweight
class and two gold medals at the World Championships
in 1970 and 1971.
for the first time in 1963, ending up fourth. At the 1964 Summer Olympics
held in Tokyo
, Japan
, Svensson won a silver medal in the light heavyweight
class. He also won two gold medals at the European Championships in 1969 and 1970 and two gold medals at the World Championships in 1970 and 1971, as well as three bronze medals at the European Championships in 1966, 1967 and 1968. As a wrestler he was nicknamed Pelle Swing in Sweden.
Svensson was chairman of the Swedish Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1998, and a member of board of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
(FILA) from 1990 to 2007. Svensson left his position as a member of board of FILA in protest of what he saw as a lack of willingness from FILA to fight corruption within the sport.
and was noted for taking on several high-profile criminal cases. He first received attention when he filed a civil indictment against a suspected murderer in the case of the disappearance of an eleven-years old boy north of Sundsvall
in 1980 (known in Sweden as Johanfallet, "the Johan Case"), together with the parents of the boy. The case ultimately ended in loss in the court of appeal, which ordered the parents to pay the court costs, and Svensson was criticized and accused of taking the case in order to receive media attention.
In 1988 Svensson served as the defendant to Juha Valjakkala
, who was later convicted of the murder of three people in the village of Åmsele
(known in Sweden as Åmselemorden, "the Åmsele Murders") earlier in the same year. In 2005 he wrote the book Utan nåd : grymhet utan gräns ("Without Mercy – Cruelty Beyond Limit") about the case.
Svensson also served as the defendant to Lars Tingström (known in Sweden by the nickname Bombmannen, "the Bomb-Man"), who was later convicted of three bomb attacks around Stockholm
. In 1996 Svensson published parts of what he said was a testament authored by Tingström shortly before his death in 1993. In the purported testament, Tingström wrote that he had given Christer Pettersson
the instructions to assassinate Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme. The journalist Gunnar Wall wrote an article in Dagens Nyheter
where he accused Svensson of manipulating the testament from Tingström. A forensic investigation later proved the testament to be real. Svensson's information led the prosecutors to file an application for a new trial against Pettersson for the assassination of Palme, but this was rejected by the Supreme Court
.
Svensson ended his career as a lawyer after a burnout
, but continued to take cases after his retirement.
outside Sundsvall
in Västernorrland County
.
Sollefteå
Sollefteå is a locality and the seat of Sollefteå Municipality in Västernorrland County, Sweden with 8,530 inhabitants in 2005.The earliest written account on Sollefteå is found in a script dating back to 1270. During this time the name of the village was given as De Solatum - a name that can be...
, Västernorrland County
Västernorrland County
Västernorrland County is a county or län in the north of Sweden. It is bordered by the counties of Gävleborg, Jämtland, Västerbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia.- Province :...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
) is a Swedish
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
former Greco-Roman wrestler
Greco-Roman wrestling
Greco-Roman wrestling is a style of wrestling that is practised worldwide. It was contested at the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has been included in every edition of the summer Olympics held since 1908. Two wrestlers are scored for their performance in three two-minute periods, which can...
and lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
. His achievements include a silver medal at the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
in the light heavyweight
Wrestling at the 1964 Summer Olympics
At the 1964 Summer Olympics, 16 wrestling events were contested, for all men. There were eight weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and eight classes in freestyle wrestling.- Greco-Roman:-Freestyle:-See also:...
class and two gold medals at the World Championships
FILA Wrestling World Championships
FILA Wrestling World Championships is the Amateur Wrestling World Championship organized by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles . The men's Greco-Roman tournament began in 1904...
in 1970 and 1971.
Wrestling career
Svensson, who started his career in wrestling in 1955, competed for the clubs Sundsvalls AIK and Heby BK. He won the Swedish Championships for the first time in 1962, competing in the 100 kg class. He won the Swedish Championships for thirteen consecutive years until his retirement in 1974. He competed at the World ChampionshipsFILA Wrestling World Championships
FILA Wrestling World Championships is the Amateur Wrestling World Championship organized by the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles . The men's Greco-Roman tournament began in 1904...
for the first time in 1963, ending up fourth. At the 1964 Summer Olympics
1964 Summer Olympics
The 1964 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XVIII Olympiad, was an international multi-sport event held in Tokyo, Japan in 1964. Tokyo had been awarded with the organization of the 1940 Summer Olympics, but this honor was subsequently passed to Helsinki because of Japan's...
held in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Svensson won a silver medal in the light heavyweight
Wrestling at the 1964 Summer Olympics
At the 1964 Summer Olympics, 16 wrestling events were contested, for all men. There were eight weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and eight classes in freestyle wrestling.- Greco-Roman:-Freestyle:-See also:...
class. He also won two gold medals at the European Championships in 1969 and 1970 and two gold medals at the World Championships in 1970 and 1971, as well as three bronze medals at the European Championships in 1966, 1967 and 1968. As a wrestler he was nicknamed Pelle Swing in Sweden.
Svensson was chairman of the Swedish Wrestling Federation from 1993 to 1998, and a member of board of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles
The International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles, also known in French as Fédération Internationale des Luttes Associées , is an international wrestling federation that holds events around the world. It is the governing body of international amateur wrestling...
(FILA) from 1990 to 2007. Svensson left his position as a member of board of FILA in protest of what he saw as a lack of willingness from FILA to fight corruption within the sport.
Lawyer career
Following his career in wrestling, Svensson pursued a career as a lawyerLawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and was noted for taking on several high-profile criminal cases. He first received attention when he filed a civil indictment against a suspected murderer in the case of the disappearance of an eleven-years old boy north of Sundsvall
Sundsvall
-External links:* - Official site from Nordisk Familjebok - Sundsvalls tourist information bureau. - The alternative guide to Sundsvall. - Blog with photos from Sundsvall....
in 1980 (known in Sweden as Johanfallet, "the Johan Case"), together with the parents of the boy. The case ultimately ended in loss in the court of appeal, which ordered the parents to pay the court costs, and Svensson was criticized and accused of taking the case in order to receive media attention.
In 1988 Svensson served as the defendant to Juha Valjakkala
Juha Valjakkala
Nikita Joakim Fouganthine is a Finnish murderer convicted of the triple murder of a family in the northern Swedish community of Åmsele.- Åmsele murders :...
, who was later convicted of the murder of three people in the village of Åmsele
Åmsele
Åmsele is a locality situated in Vindeln Municipality, Västerbotten County, Sweden with 201 inhabitants in 2005.- References :...
(known in Sweden as Åmselemorden, "the Åmsele Murders") earlier in the same year. In 2005 he wrote the book Utan nåd : grymhet utan gräns ("Without Mercy – Cruelty Beyond Limit") about the case.
Svensson also served as the defendant to Lars Tingström (known in Sweden by the nickname Bombmannen, "the Bomb-Man"), who was later convicted of three bomb attacks around Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
. In 1996 Svensson published parts of what he said was a testament authored by Tingström shortly before his death in 1993. In the purported testament, Tingström wrote that he had given Christer Pettersson
Christer Pettersson
Christer Pettersson was a Swedish criminal who was a suspect in the 1986 assassination of Olof Palme, the Prime Minister of Sweden...
the instructions to assassinate Swedish Prime Minister Olof Palme. The journalist Gunnar Wall wrote an article in Dagens Nyheter
Dagens Nyheter
is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It has the largest circulation of Swedish morning newspapers, followed by Göteborgs-Posten and Svenska Dagbladet, and is the only morning newspaper that is distributed to subscribers across the whole country. In 2009 DN had a circulation of 316,000, reaching 881...
where he accused Svensson of manipulating the testament from Tingström. A forensic investigation later proved the testament to be real. Svensson's information led the prosecutors to file an application for a new trial against Pettersson for the assassination of Palme, but this was rejected by the Supreme Court
Supreme Court of Sweden
The Supreme Court of Sweden is the supreme court and the third and final instance in all civil and criminal cases in Sweden. Before a case can be decided by the Supreme Court, leave to appeal must be obtained, and with few exceptions, leave to appeal can be granted only when the case is of...
.
Svensson ended his career as a lawyer after a burnout
Burnout (psychology)
Burnout is a psychological term for the experience of long-term exhaustion and diminished interest. Research indicates general practitioners have the highest proportion of burnout cases; according to a recent Dutch study in Psychological Reports, no less than 40% of these experienced high levels of...
, but continued to take cases after his retirement.
Personal life
Svensson is married and has three children. He lives in the small village of NjurundaNjurunda
Njurunda is a small village in Sundsvall Municipality, located in Västernorrland County, Sweden. The village is situated at the mouth of the Ljungan river and located about 17 kilometers south of Sundsvall. It is primarily a sleeper town to Sundsvall with a residential population of about 5,000...
outside Sundsvall
Sundsvall
-External links:* - Official site from Nordisk Familjebok - Sundsvalls tourist information bureau. - The alternative guide to Sundsvall. - Blog with photos from Sundsvall....
in Västernorrland County
Västernorrland County
Västernorrland County is a county or län in the north of Sweden. It is bordered by the counties of Gävleborg, Jämtland, Västerbotten and the Gulf of Bothnia.- Province :...
.
National achievements
| Year | Event | Place | Weight class (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1963 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1964 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1965 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1966 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1967 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1968 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1969 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1970 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1971 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1972 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 100.0 |
| 1973 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 120.0 |
| 1974 | Swedish Championships | 1st | 130.0 |
International achievements
| Year | Event | Venue | Place | Weight class (kg) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1963 | FILA World Championships 1963 FILA Wrestling World Championships The following is the final results of the 1963 FILA Wrestling World Championships. Freestyle competition were held in Sofia, Bulgaria and Greco-Roman competition were held in Helsingborg, Sweden.-Medal table:-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-See also:... |
 HelsingborgHelsingborg Helsingborg is a city and the seat of Helsingborg Municipality, Skåne County, Sweden with 97,122 inhabitants in 2010. Helsingborg is the centre of an area in the Øresund region of about 320,000 inhabitants in north-west Scania, and is Sweden's closest point to Denmark, with the Danish city... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
4th | 97.0 |
| 1964 | Olympic Games Wrestling at the 1964 Summer Olympics At the 1964 Summer Olympics, 16 wrestling events were contested, for all men. There were eight weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and eight classes in freestyle wrestling.- Greco-Roman:-Freestyle:-See also:... |
 TokyoTokyo , ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family... , Japan Japan Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south... |
2nd | 97.0 |
| 1965 | FILA World Championships 1965 FILA Wrestling World Championships The following is the final results of the 1965 FILA Wrestling World Championships. Freestyle competition were held in Manchester, Great Britain and Greco-Roman competition were held in Tampere, Finland.-Medal table:-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-See also:... |
 TampereTampere Tampere is a city in southern Finland. It is the most populous inland city in any of the Nordic countries. The city has a population of , growing to approximately 300,000 people in the conurbation and over 340,000 in the metropolitan area. Tampere is the third most-populous municipality in... , Finland Finland Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside... |
4th | 97.0 |
| 1966 | European Championships |  EssenEssen - Origin of the name :In German-speaking countries, the name of the city Essen often causes confusion as to its origins, because it is commonly known as the German infinitive of the verb for the act of eating, and/or the German noun for food. Although scholars still dispute the interpretation of... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
3rd | 97.0 |
| 1966 | FILA World Championships 1966 FILA Wrestling World Championships The 1966 FILA Wrestling World Championships were held in Toledo, Ohio, United States.-Medal table:-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-See also:List of World and Olympic Champions in men's freestyle wrestling... |
 ToledoToledo, Ohio Toledo is the fourth most populous city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Lucas County. Toledo is in northwest Ohio, on the western end of Lake Erie, and borders the State of Michigan... , United States United States The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district... |
5th | 97.0 |
| 1967 | European Championships |  MinskMinsk - Ecological situation :The ecological situation is monitored by Republican Center of Radioactive and Environmental Control .During 2003–2008 the overall weight of contaminants increased from 186,000 to 247,400 tons. The change of gas as industrial fuel to mazut for financial reasons has worsened... , Soviet Union Soviet Union The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991.... |
3rd | 97.0 |
| 1968 | European Championships | Västerås Västerås Västerås is a city in central Sweden, located on the shore of Lake Mälaren in the province Västmanland, some 100 km west of Stockholm... , Sweden Sweden Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund.... |
3rd | 97.0 |
| 1968 | Olympic Games Wrestling at the 1968 Summer Olympics At the 1968 Summer Olympics, 16 wrestling events were contested, for all men. There were eight weight classes in Greco-Roman wrestling and eight classes in freestyle wrestling.- Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-Medal table:-See also:... |
 Mexico CityMexico City Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole... , Mexico Mexico The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of... |
4th | 97.0 |
| 1969 | European Championships |  ModenaModena Modena is a city and comune on the south side of the Po Valley, in the Province of Modena in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy.... , Italy Italy Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and... |
1st | 100.0 |
| 1970 | European Championshipss | Berlin Berlin Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union... , Germany Germany Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate... |
1st | 100.0 |
| 1970 | FILA World Championships 1970 FILA Wrestling World Championships The 1970 FILA Wrestling World Championships were held in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.-Medal table:-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-See also:List of World and Olympic Champions in men's freestyle wrestling... |
 EdmontonEdmonton Edmonton is the capital of the Canadian province of Alberta and is the province's second-largest city. Edmonton is located on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Capital Region, which is surrounded by the central region of the province.The city and its census... , Canada Canada Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean... |
1st | 100.0 |
| 1971 | FILA World Championships 1971 FILA Wrestling World Championships -Medal table:-Freestyle:-Greco-Roman:-See also:List of World and Olympic Champions in men's freestyle wrestlingList of World and Olympic Champions in Greco-Roman wrestlingUnited States results in men's freestyle wrestling-References:*... |
 SofiaSofia Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated... , Bulgaria Bulgaria Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east... |
1st | 100.0 |