According to a media report, Federal Interior Minister Nancy Faeser is open to the 2036 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Berlin. She could imagine that, said the SPD politician to the Berlin-based news portal “The Pioneer”.
Since the historical processing of the Olympic Games has to be carried out this year anyway, a hundred years after the Nazi Games, so be it “then it’s also conceivable that it would be dealt with in the place where it happened, where exclusion, where this terrible disregard for humanity took place”explained the minister.
“Nazis wanted to represent themselves”
Should the Olympic Games 2036 actually take place in Germany, one would have to “accompanying very much” do, says Faeser. “It was terrible games in 1936. The Nazis organized the games there and wanted to present themselves”, she said.
In principle, the Federal Minister responsible for sport supports a German application for the Olympic Games. “In general, I think it would be the right step to apply for the Olympic Games again. I’m promoting it very strongly.”Faeser said.
At human rights “lead by example”
This would also make Germany more credible when it comes to promoting human rights standards at major events abroad. “If we demand these criteria, then I think we have to set a good example and allow such a major sporting event in Germany again.”explained Faeser.
Visa ban for Russians and Belarusians
Faeser wants to prevent athletes from Russia and Belarus from participating in international competitions in Germany with a visa ban. “If the Federal Foreign Office agrees with me in this position, we will refuse visas to Russian and Belarusian athletes entering Germany.”said the SPD politician on Friday (May 12, 2023) after the 47th conference of sports ministers in Frankfurt am Main.
The International Olympic Committee recently opened the door to a partial return to the world sporting arena for both nations, which were banned from all international sporting competitions last year because of Russia’s war of aggression in Ukraine. The sovereignty over an approval is now in the hands of the international professional associations. For the time being, a planned cancellation of state funding for international competitions in Germany in the event of participation by Russian and Belarusian athletes is off the table.
Sport Ministers Conference stands unanimously behind Faeser
“We discussed this with the German Olympic Sports Confederation and decided not to do it because otherwise we would cause great damage to the organizers.”, reported Hesse’s Interior Minister Peter Beuth (CDU). On the other hand, the conference of sports ministers is strengthening the federal government “Unanimously and expressly in the fact that it prevents Russian and Belarusian athletes from participating in competitions in Europe via the visa policy”said Beuth further.
There was also agreement that “the warmonger Russia should not use international sporting events as a stage for its propaganda”according to Faeser. “The conference of sports ministers unanimously opposes the re-admission of Russian and Belarusian athletes”, said Bavaria’s Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU). The latest IOC decision is “a wrong signal”.