In his criticism of the ARD reporting at a press conference, DESG boss Matthias Große made a sweeping attack and described the content as “lies”. His claims contradict ARD research.
Internal documents from the German Speed Skating and Short Track Association (DESG) raise considerable doubts about public statements made by association president Matthias Große. The Berlin real estate entrepreneur went on a confrontational course at a press conference on Thursday in Berlin, which was specifically called because of critical ARD reporting on the DESG during the Olympic Games.
He spoke of several times during the event “Lie”that were broadcast by ARD. He demanded that “Such lies will never be on television again”and he “do everything for it” become, “to end this”: “And that’s not a threat, that’s a promise.”
Here is an original excerpt from the press conference:
But were Große’s statements at the press conference based on facts? Among other things, he vehemently contradicted the ARD research that the DESG required athletes who compete internationally for Germany to pay a contribution for official team clothing. The 58-year-old claimed that “Athletes subsidize their sports clothing”be “a blatant, dirty lie”.
“All DESG athletes, as long as I am president”said Große, had “Never spend a single cent on training clothes” must. There was never any mention of “training clothes” in the ARD reporting.
Große’s original excerpt from the press conference:
The DESG President’s statements – are they tenable? ARD has internal documents from the recent past that suggest the opposite, including an email from competitive sports speaker Frank Dittrich to all top speed skaters. On October 30, 2025, immediately before the current season, Dittrich wrote an email to all potential DESG World Cup participants: “In coordination with the executive committee, it was determined that a personal contribution of 59.90 euros must be paid to receive the new clothing.”
Other statements also contradict the depiction of great things: “You will receive a corresponding invoice. The clothing then becomes your property.”
Here is the original email (we have blacked out passages for informant and data protection reasons):
Email went to 18 potentials World Cup starter
During his appearance at the press conference, Große, however, claimed that worn clothing could be purchased by athletes on a voluntary basis at a preferential price after the end of the season or that it would otherwise have to be returned. The DESG internal letter to the contrary was addressed to a total of 18 top national speed skaters.
A copy of the email was sent to sports director Nadine Seiden Glanz and treasurer Clarissa Forster, and team leader Helge Jasch, national coaches Aart van der Wulp and Alexis Contin and Große’s partner Claudia Pechstein, who works as a trainer at the base in Inzell, were also on the distribution list.
The wording in the email, “in coordination with the Executive Board”leads to the conclusion that DESG boss Große himself may have been informed about this decision.
Invoicing immediately after the start of the season
Several national team athletes confirmed to ARD that the new DESG team clothing was purchased at the start of the season and that the purchase was expected by the association. They were not aware of a return option after the season. The invoice – as evidenced by a personal contribution invoice, the original of which is available to ARD – was issued immediately after the start of the season with the note: “due immediately upon receipt of invoice”.
On January 20, 2026, sports director Nadine Seiden Glanz wrote to the participating DESG athletes with a view to the World Cup in Inzell that she wanted the athletes “Remind you and expressly request that you consistently wear the official DESG clothing.”
Here is the original email:
In the so-called athlete agreement, the binding contract between athletes and DESG, it also states under point 5.3.1: “For the purpose of a uniform appearance, the DESG specifies the clothing that is to be worn by the athlete during operations in the national team and is provided to him free of charge by the DESG, provided that it can be financed.”
Petzold is banned from starting and loses squad status
Große, who is taking legal action against the ARD reports, not only sharply attacked the public broadcaster’s Olympic coverage of DESG at the press conference. He also obviously attacked the speed skater Fridtjof Petzold without mentioning his name.
At the end of the Olympic competitions in Milan, the Erfurt native addressed structural problems within the DESG in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. At the press conference, Große explained:
One day after the Berlin press conference, the DESG executive board imposed a temporary starting ban on Petzold and suspended his status as a national squad athlete. The 28-year-old therefore has to worry about the continuation of his career.
Disclaimer: The two authors of this text, Hajo Seppelt and Jörg Mebus, who provided the ARD reporting criticized by Große during the Olympic Games, were denied access to the press conference of the German Speed Skating and Short Track Association last Thursday in Berlin due to the reporting. A house ban was imposed on the two journalists.
