She is the President of the German Athletes Association and also a successful volleyball player. Now Karla Borger has spoken about the International Olympic Committee – and criticized it.
The President of the Association of Athletes Germany, Karla Borger, is critical of the representation of athletes in the International Olympic Committee (IOC).
“The structure is not right, the commission cannot influence any decisions. It only has an advisory function,” said the 33-year-old in an interview with the “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung”. “In my experience, no one from this body will speak critically. For some, it seems as if they are using the years in this commission for a career in the IOC. I find it sad to see that.”
IOC-critical Wickenheiser no longer there
Most recently, new representatives were elected to the IOC Athletes’ Commission. 16 athletes from 16 countries stood for election in China at the Winter Games. Germans were not among the candidates. The former Canadian ice hockey player Hayley Wickenheiser, who was recently very critical of the IOC, is no longer there. Up to 23 athletes represent the interests of their colleagues on the commission.
With a view to the Olympic Games, Borger called for a rethink. The athletes tear it up internally: “We want to go to the Olympic Games, but not to the ones in Beijing. It can’t go on like this,” said the beach volleyball player. Human rights activists recently renewed their criticism of China and denounced human rights violations such as the persecution of the Uyghur minority and Chinese censorship.
“It was blatant how much the IOC served the Chinese government. One had feared that, but it was frightening the more this happened,” said Borger. “The reporting in the western media has made the level of oppression of Uyghurs and Chinese opposition figures very clear. These were not the Olympic Games we athletes want them to be.”