The German Olympic Sports Confederation is reacting to the planned financial cuts by the federal government with the “Sport is added value” campaign. They would not only meet the Olympic preparation.
With the “Sport is added value” campaign, the German Olympic Sports Confederation is reacting to the effects of the planned budget cuts for sport by the federal government.
“Sport provides indispensable added value for our society. Wanting to cut funds for the Olympic year 2024 sends the completely wrong signal to all athletes, coaches and supporters of the sport,” said DOSB President Thomas Weikert, according to a statement.
The sports clubs and associations would generate “a multiple of positive effects for our society” with an extremely small public investment in relation to the overall budget. “Politics should be worth every penny,” he emphasized. The communicative focus of the campaign is on social media, where the negative consequences of the austerity measures for sport and society are shown with several motifs.
Training, staff and future affected by cuts
The sports budget of the Federal Ministry of the Interior provides for a reduction of around ten percent from around 303 to around 276 million euros compared to the current year. According to the DOSB, the savings would affect the financing of important training measures before the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris and the payment of competitive sports staff in the sports associations.
In addition, there would be drastic cuts of 20 percent for the Institute for Applied Training Science (IAT) and the Institute for Research and Development of Sports Equipment (FES). Through its work, the FES was involved in 21 of 27 medals for Germany at the 2022 Winter Games in Beijing.
The draft budget for 2024 would also send “worrying signals” to organized sport beyond top-class sport, it said. For example, no funds are provided for the “Sport Development Plan” announced in the coalition agreement. With the plan, sports and politics want to jointly set the course for a healthy sports landscape in Germany, to encourage the population to adopt a more active and healthier lifestyle. “The planned measures cannot be implemented if the necessary financial resources are not available,” said the DOSB.
Source: Stern
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