After the first “Salto Nullo” by German athletes at a World Cup, Olympic discus champion Robert Harting criticized the general conditions in top-class German sport. Former association president Clemens Prokop is also calling for changes to existing structures. Long jump Olympic champion Heike Drechsler defended the German World Cup athletes against general criticism.
“Simply no medal despite good and personal bests. The problem in German competitive sport is the consequence of mistakes by decision-makers, but above all the lack of investment in the know-how of everyone involved,” wrote the 38-year-old Harting late Sunday evening on X ( formerly Twitter). The three-time discus world champion was referring to the fact, also expressed by many active athletes and by the DLV, that German athletes are now lagging far behind the world’s best in many disciplines.
In his criticism via social media, Harting particularly denounced the potential analysis system (PotAS). It is part of the top-class sport reform, in which federal funding is to be distributed more on the basis of expectations of success and chances of winning a medal. “In my opinion, this PotAs system is really sick. What was founded out of distrust in politics towards the DOSB. That says it all,” he wrote.
Prokop: Not only athletics has problems
However, the 2012 Olympic champion also sees undesirable developments in young athletes in Germany. For example, the latest developments, “changing certificates or football games so that children no longer cry” are wrong in his view.
The former President of the German Athletics Association, Clemens Prokop, called the performance of the German team at the World Cup “simply disappointing”. But he also referred to the further development at the top of the world. From Prokop’s point of view, existing structures in sport must be changed in order to change course. There is also the question of how talent can be found. It is not only athletics that have problems, German sport is generally losing touch with the world’s best. “Perhaps that is also a symptom of the efficiency of our society,” said Prokop.
Drechsler: “Weber was unlucky that others were better”
The former long jump Olympic champion and world champion Heike Drechsler took a protective stance in front of the athletes in her reaction to the German team’s performance at the World Championships. “Of course you can’t sugarcoat it.” But: “If the athletes are doing their best, you can’t blame them. We always want medals.” Javelin thrower Julian Weber’s fourth place was not recognized despite his top performance. “He was unlucky that others were better,” said Drechsler.
Heike Drechsler won six World Championships and five Olympic medals in her career.
The 58-year-old hopes that next year’s Olympic Games in Paris will see some of the athletes missing in Budapest able to return to their best form. For many younger track and field athletes, Budapest was also an important experience with regard to upcoming major events. From their point of view, the next ten years will be crucial for the development of German athletics.
Negative trend continues
For the first time in the 40-year history of the World Championships in Athletics, the 70-man German team remained without a medal in Budapest – in the absence of a few injured top performers. The best result was fourth place for javelin thrower Julian Weber. In total, there were 13 top 8 placements for German athletes in the 49 medal decisions in the Hungarian capital. Germany occupied at least Twelfth place in the national rankingin which 70 countries are represented.
Last year, the World Cup yield was meager than ever: In Eugene in the USA, Malaika Mihambo won gold for Germany in the long jump, the 4×100 m relay sprinted to bronze. The negative development could continue at the games in Paris, said DLV President Jürgen Kessing on MDR: “The rest of the world has become much stronger than us.” The reconstruction in the DLV needs time. The federation hopes to “be back among the top five athletics nations” at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.