In terms of sport, German speed skating has been missing its shine for a long time. The head of the association wants to turn things around by 2026 at the latest. Internally, too, the fight against mistakes from previous years is ongoing.
According to the conviction of their President Matthias Große, the German speed skaters will have overcome their sporting dry spell at the latest by the upcoming Winter Olympics and win medals again.
You have young people, 20, 22 years old, who would attack and could achieve something at the 2026 Winter Olympics, said the 55-year-old in an interview with the German Press Agency. “There will be another medal in 2026. I’m confident about that,” he explained.
The last medal was in 2020
The last Olympic medals were at the 2010 Games in Vancouver with gold in the women’s team pursuit and silver for Stephanie Beckert (3000 meters/5000 meters) and Jenny Wolf (500 meters). The last World Cup medal to date goes to Patrick Beckert with bronze over 10,000 meters in 2020.
At the World Championships last weekend in Heerenveen in the Netherlands, 51-year-old Claudia Pechstein from Berlin finished tenth over 5,000 meters and Fridtjof Petzold from Crimmitschau over 10,000 meters, the best ranks in individual decisions. “Our goal must be to win medals again, that’s what we’ll be measured against. We can do all the work in the world. If we don’t get any medals, we’ll get a beating,” said Große.
Dissolution of the DESG no more debate
The first results of the association’s internal review since he took office around two and a half years ago are more likely to be expected. According to the President, the members of the German Speed Skating and Short Track Association (DESG) will be informed about this at a meeting in the first half of 2023. It should be explained “what has come to light, what misconduct happened in the years up to our association takeover”.
According to him, among other things, financial resources should have been used incorrectly. “We will prosecute those responsible for this crisis and these misconduct. I promised that back then and it will remain so. Because this is not just about 3.80 euros, but a little more,” said Große. Financially, DESG, which is still threatened with insolvency in 2020, is now in a stable position. “The fact that we’re still here at all is a great success. Insolvency and the dissolution of the DESG have been discussed for years. These issues have long been off the table,” emphasized Große.