Olympic champion Kristina Vogel has commented on Luke Mockridge and his apology for the Paralympics jokes. She also addressed the two podcasters.
Two-time Olympic champion Kristina Vogel has taken a stand on Luke Mockridge and his apology for the jokes about the Paralympic Games. On Tuesday, the former track cyclist, who has been paralyzed since a training accident in 2018, published a video in which she gives her opinion on Mockridge’s apology.
“Luke Mockridge has apologized”
“I think Luke Mockridge has apologized and time will tell how serious he was and whether he has learned from it. I want to believe in things like that, I want to believe in second chances and that you learn from your mistakes,” said the 33-year-old. Of the two hosts in whose podcast the statements were made, however, she is “currently lacking any remorse, any judgment and that makes me a little angry.” She is “the last cancel mouse,” said Vogel: “If someone sincerely apologizes, that’s the end of it for me.” She is then also ready to approach each other and “do something, make something and learn something” together.
This is what Mario Barth has to do with it
The reason for their detailed statement was a previous video by comedian Mario Barth, who had also come to the attention of the public in the wake of the headlines surrounding Luke Mockridge. Barth had also been a guest on the same podcast format in May 2024 and had told an anecdote in which he had dedicated the encore to a disabled fan in a wheelchair at the end of a show over 20 years ago.
Vogel had shared a short edited reel of this scene in her story with a link to a petition against Mockridge and the podcast hosts. Mario Barth, in turn, had commented on this in detail on his Instagram channel and explained the context again after the story had been picked up by various media outlets.
Kristina Vogel also referred to this in her statement. It was important to her that jokes in areas of black humor were put into perspective and put into context. “He definitely did that,” said the former athlete. She wanted to distance herself from portraying Mario Barth as hostile to people with disabilities, she apologized to the comedian. It was “never her intention” for him to come under fire.
Luke Mockridge’s TV comeback failed
Meanwhile, Luke Mockridge is feeling the consequences of his podcast appearance. Among other things, several organizers canceled planned comedy performances on his upcoming and partially sold-out tour. In addition, the 35-year-old’s TV comeback has been canceled: Sat.1 canceled his new TV show “What’s in the Box?” before it started on September 12. The broadcaster gave the reason that Mockridge’s words about para-athletes did not fit with Sat.1’s values.
Statements about Paralympics
Celebrities against Luke Mockridge: “You’re just a poor little sausage!”
After a huge wave of criticism and outrage, Mockridge had previously apologized for the Paralympics jokes via Instagram. “Of course, it was never my intention to ridicule people with disabilities – especially during these great Paralympic Games,” he wrote.
Source: Stern

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