With the wind in their sails from Berlin, the German team is starting the Paris Summer Games. Shortly before the Olympics, the traffic light coalition is paving the way for a new German application.
There is still a lot of work going on at the German team’s Olympic home in Paris, but DOSB boss Thomas Weikert is already in full competition mode. For the President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, the longing for golden days at the Summer Games in France’s capital is more than ever linked to the hope of a new German bid so shortly before the opening ceremony. The long-awaited tailwind is now coming from the federal government, which after some hesitation has signaled its support for another Olympic attempt.
The federal cabinet decided to sign the joint declaration with the German Olympic Sports Confederation and the federal states and cities interested in applying, as confirmed by government circles. “This means that politicians are fully behind us. We are very pleased about that,” said Weikert at his first appearance in the German House for the Olympics, which the DOSB is setting up in a rugby stadium in Paris.
German team’s Olympic goal: Top ten in the national rankings
The German team of 428 athletes will be holding a series of medal celebrations over the next two weeks to further increase Olympic fever and fuel the excitement for home games. Three years ago in Tokyo, only 37 medals were won, which was the worst result since reunification. “We came here to achieve something. We have set the goal of reaching the top ten in the national ranking of Olympic medals again,” says Head of Mission Olaf Tabor.
The German team will have to work hard to achieve this, he adds. “We will definitely not be given anything for free along the way,” says Tabor. The same could be said for a new Olympic bid. According to the International Olympic Committee, there are already a large number of interested parties for 2036 and 2040.
Weikert stressed that he was very happy that the traffic light coalition had paved the way for a bid before the games began in Paris on Friday. The federal government clearly prefers a candidacy for the 2040 Summer Games, which would be 50 years after German reunification.
“The Olympic and Paralympic Games are a great opportunity for our country. They not only arouse enthusiasm for sport, but can also strengthen social cohesion and provide impetus for the economy,” said Federal Minister of the Interior and Sport Nancy Faeser. The SPD politician will sign the basic agreement on August 2 on the sidelines of the Summer Games in France.
The Union criticized the fact that the federal government had not made a clear commitment to a bid last year. As a result, “valuable time had passed,” said Stephan Mayer, sports policy spokesman for the CDU/CSU parliamentary group. “It is now important to quickly select a candidate from Germany who also has a good chance of being awarded the contract to host the Olympic Games,” added Mayer.
DOSB boss: Don’t just focus on 2040
In the event of a change of government, DOSB boss Weikert does not expect any new obstacles to an Olympic project. “I am quite optimistic that this will continue,” said the 62-year-old. The Union is “aware that some financial resources need to be loosened up.”
However, Weikert warned against committing to a year for a bid too early. There had been controversial discussions about a German bid as early as 2036, exactly 100 years after the Nazi games in Berlin.
Berlin, Hamburg, Leipzig, Munich and the Rhine-Ruhr region have expressed their interest in applying with letters of intent. Hamburg’s mayor Peter Tschentscher (SPD) told the German Press Agency about a possible application together with Berlin: “It’s all about presenting the concept convincingly. In my opinion, that’s quite possible.” Federal Council President Manuela Schwesig (SPD) spoke out in favor of Olympic sailing competitions off Warnemünde via the “Ostsee-Zeitung”.
Government announces almost seven million euros in subsidies
The previous Olympic campaigns in Germany failed due to resistance and the vote of the population in Munich and Hamburg. On December 7, the DOSB wants to decide on further steps at its general meeting in Saarbrücken. Weikert suggested an extraordinary general meeting in the first half of 2025, which could then finally get a German Olympic bid underway.
The federal government plans to contribute a total of 6.95 million euros to the application costs by 2027. The Athletes Germany association welcomed the support of the traffic light coalition: “The idea of being able to represent Germany at home is our greatest possible motivation.” However, the funding for elite sports should not be cut in favor of an Olympic application.
After the games in Paris, Los Angeles will be the next summer host in 2028. The 2032 Olympics have been awarded to Brisbane, Australia.
Source: Stern
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