DBS President Friedhelm Julius Beucher urged the German Paralympic athletes not to make critical statements about host China during their stay in Beijing.
“These are responsible people. Everyone can say what they want and express their free opinion. But the duty of care also means that we have to advise everyone not to do that in China,” said the head of the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS). in a media session.
The background to Beucher’s statements are statements made by Yang Shu shortly before the start of the Olympic Games. “Any statement that coincides with the Olympic spirit will certainly be protected. Any behavior or statements directed against it can be punished with a specific punishment,” the deputy director general for international relations of the organizing committee said at the time.
Such an “undisguised threat” has “never existed in the history of the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Beucher explained. That means “anyone who says something about China and not about their competition has to face the consequences.” After these statements from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) as well as from the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), he actually “expected the indication of a no-go”, the 75-year-old continued. But he didn’t come.
He is also concerned about the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Like the Sochi 2014 Winter Games, the Ukraine crisis will “accompany the games in Beijing,” said Beucher: “As the team management, we have to keep that away from the athletes as much as possible, they need to concentrate on their competitions.”