Germany’s celebrated national teams definitely don’t want to follow the example of Eintracht Frankfurt on the red carpet.
A year ago, President Peter Fischer had to accept the Team of the Year award all alone. No matter whether the basketball world champions, the hockey world champions or the ice hockey silver winners prevail in the magnificent Kurhaus in Baden-Baden: it won’t be the same this Sunday (10:15 p.m.) at the prestigious “Sportsman of the Year” gala run.
The basketball players, who are considered the clear favorite for the coveted award after the unexpected coup in Manila, are expected to have the largest possible cast in attendance.
“It’s great that we’re being noticed after this World Cup title. I don’t know exactly what’s to come. There’s still a lot happening. I’m trying to keep up with the whole thing and continue working normally,” said national coach Gordon Herbert “German Press Agency”.
“As many special moments as possible”
The 64-year-old Herbert is accompanied in Baden-Baden by parts of the team and the association. Then the images of the surprising World Cup title and the memorable semi-final victory over the star ensemble of the USA should flicker across the screens again.
The NBA stars around Dennis Schröder and Franz Wagner cannot be there due to the extremely busy schedule in North America.
The German Ice Hockey Association is also trying to ensure strong representation and will have special professionals flown in from the venues for the evening.
“The career path is also about collecting as many special moments as possible. And the sports honor with the gala is simply a special day for us and for me personally as a player,” said Vice World Champion Marcel Noebels. The honor in front of an audience of millions on the “ZDF” main program still seems to have the highest priority, especially in sports other than football.
Criticism of the suggestion list
It was discussed why the outstanding basketball captain Schröder was not individually on the list of suggestions for the athlete of the year. This is common practice with the award and has already affected footballers like Franz Beckenbauer and Fritz Walter – but it is still not well received everywhere.
It was good that the team was nominated, said teammate Daniel Theis. “But I still think that if you become world champion, at least Dennis, who was also MVP of the tournament, definitely has to be on the list, including for athlete of the year.”
Schröder was able to be elected by the journalists. Since the 30-year-old had to be written on the ballot paper by hand, he probably has no chance against candidates like Lukas Dauser (gymnastics), Florian Wellbrock (swimming) or rower Oliver Zeidler. Before the event, Wellbrock spoke of the “only opportunity in the year” to meet all the athletes. “The festive occasion of course makes the whole thing even more beautiful.”
“Biggest critics” as an authority
Among women, ski jumper Katharina Schmid (formerly Althaus) is considered one of the top contenders for the title. The Allgäu native won three World Championship gold medals and one bronze in Planica, Slovenia.
Not only are Eintracht Frankfurt’s successors being sought, but also decathlete Niklas Kaul and sprinter Gina Brückenkemper.
For Turner Dauser, not only taking part in the gala is an honor, but also the election itself. “For me, the most prestigious prize that an athlete can win in Germany. Especially this year with the novelty that first the athletes vote, who all know exactly who deserves it, and then the journalists, who are actually our biggest critics “, said the 30-year-old, who became world champion on parallel bars.