Leipzig (dpa) – An unauthorized solidarity action for Ukraine caused displeasure with 3000-meter champion Maximilian Thorwirth at the German athletics championships in the hall in Leipzig.
After his victory, Thorwirth was angry that an athlete had to mask a Ukraine flag on his arm after checking his competition clothing before the start. “If that’s no longer feasible, then I’m just sad,” said Thorwirth, who, according to the association, ran with a yellow-blue bracelet, on ARD.
“But I’m disqualified,” the Düsseldorfer exclaimed indignantly in the winner’s interview immediately after his race in the hall and, referring to the minute’s silence before the start of the competition, asked “what we’re doing here”. The gesture commemorated the victims of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. A yellow and blue Ukraine flag could be seen on the video cube in the arena.
DLV CEO Idriss Gonschinska spoke to Thorwirth and emphasized that the German Athletics Association feels for the Ukrainian people and has shown a clear commitment. He could absolutely understand the emotions. Sometimes you have to think about how to deal with rules, stages and responsible athletes and whether rules are not adapted. It was the right decision that nobody was disqualified. Gonschinska conceded that the weighing process was not easy.
Thorwirth expressed doubts that the actions of the athletes would change anything, but at least they wanted to show “that we are thinking of the people”. At the moment everything else is more important than sport.