Ex-biathlon world champion and current ARD expert Erik Lesser is rather skeptical about the planned new top sports agency. He told MDR AKTUELL that decisions had to come from real experts. Meanwhile, the agency’s choice of location in Leipzig does not yet appear to be certain.
The sports funding law has now passed the federal cabinet as a draft. Christiane Schenderlein, Minister of State for Sport and Volunteering, spoke of a “milestone for top German sport”. The CDU politician put it as “our goal: more German medals at international competitions.” The law still has to go through the Bundestag and Bundesrat. Schenderlein, who comes from Saxony, initially said nothing about the schedule.
Resistance from the DOSB also against Leipzig
The core of the reform is a new top sports agency as an independent foundation. It should be based in Leipzig and distribute the funding independently. There should be less bureaucracy and a focus on success, that is the requirement for the agency, which is oriented towards international models.
The law is intended to ensure greater planning security, efficiency and transparency in the distribution of funds. The federal government is supporting top-class sport with almost 350 million euros this year. However, the Federal Audit Office has long been criticizing the award and the excessive influence of sport.
Resistance to the draft comes primarily from organized sports. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), for example, is demanding more say and is against “a state-dominated sport.” The DOSB was also annoyed that there was no agreement on the location decision for Leipzig. The DOSB wants to continue to campaign for Frankfurt/Main, where the umbrella organization is based, as well as having a representation in Berlin.
Athletes also feel ignored
The Minister of State defended the planned location. This is intended to strengthen the agency’s independence, said Schenderlein when presenting the draft on Wednesday. However, it is questionable whether the law can come into force before the summer break, as she had hoped.
Athletes also feel ignored here. Johannes Herber, the head of the Athletes Germany Association, criticized on ZDF that there was no binding role for them on the board of trustees, only on the advisory sports advisory board without decision-making authority: “The message that is sent there: We want to make decisions about athletes, but not with athletes.”
ARD sports show expert rather skeptical
The ex-top biathlete Erik Lesser, now an ARD sports show expert, also reacted cautiously to this planned top sports agency. The athlete, who comes from Thuringia, told MDR AKTUELL that he hopes that it “is really meaningful, that the money isn’t just being burned.”
The decisions must come from real experts and also be scientifically based, Lesser continued.
Germany can no longer afford any more “trial and error,” “if you look at the medal count from the last Olympic Games.” Under certain conditions, however, the top sports agency now planned could be “the right way”.
Lesser At the same time, he emphasized that successful top-class sport also requires a strong basis in popular sport. There are far too few young children today, and sports facilities and clubs are often overloaded. That’s why more support is needed for daycare centers, schools and clubs. Dilapidated sports facilities would also have to be renovated. All of this helps to make sport more attractive.
SID/dpa, MDR (ksc)
