With a broadside against the German speed skating community (DESG), the two-time Olympic participant Joel Dufter has announced his resignation.
“I did competitive sport for ten years – especially with the association in Germany it was and is difficult. Hopefully things will change in the association, speed skating is not on the right track in Germany“, wrote the 27-year-old sprint record holder on the website of his club DEC Inzell.
The separation of the association from long-time national sprint coach Danny Leger at the end of 2020 contributed significantly to scenter’s displeasure with the DESG. “I’m really pissed off. A year before the Olympics, one of the coaches is taken away”the native of Upper Bavaria grumbled about the DESG leadership with the controversial President Matthias Große at the helm.
Dufter gave up a promotion in the Dutch training group
As a consequence, at the beginning of 2021, shortly after his bronze medal at the European Sprint Championships in Heerenveen, Netherlands, Dufter joined the training group of the Norwegian national team led by Canada’s ex-sprint world champion Jeremy Wotherspoon on. For this, the sports soldier also gave up his promotion position in the Bundeswehr.
European Championship bronze in the sprint, greatest career success
The third place at the European Championships last year was Dufter’s greatest success. At world championships, eighth place in the 2020 sprint all-around in Hamar, Norway, was the best result for the younger brother of Olympic speed skater Roxanne Dufter. When he took part in the Winter Games for the second time in Beijing at the beginning of the year, Dufter finished 26th in both the 500m and 1000m immediately after falling ill with the corona virus. “There were good times and bad times”summed up the Traunsteiner.
There are seven championship titles nationally for Dufter. His best times over 500 m (34.42 seconds) and 1000 m (1:06.80 minutes) are German records.
After retiring, Dufter initially wants to distance himself from the ice oval and has meanwhile started an apprenticeship as a carpenter. In the medium term, however, Dufter can also imagine a comeback in speed skating as a coach: “I think so“, he said.