Quarrels in speed skating – “That sounds like a muzzle” – Sport

Immediately after his appointment as President of Speed ​​Skating, Matthias Große, Claudia Pechstein’s partner, caused a stir. The athletes’ spokesmen report on the fear of many athletes to speak out openly.

The German Speed ​​Skating Community (DESG) does not come to rest. The presidency had been vacant since November, and in June the Berlin businessman Matthias Große, 52, was provisionally appointed – a staff that met with criticism from the athletes. In the interview, the athletes’ spokesmen for the association, Moritz Geisreiter and Leon Kaufmann-Ludwig, explain their concerns and explain what expectations they have of the Presidium.

SZ: Mr. Geisreiter, Mr. Kaufmann-Ludwig: The German Speed ​​Skating Association is one of the smallest sports associations in Germany with only around 2900 members. But it looks like one of the associations with the greatest quarrel. Why?

Moritz Geisreiter: The DESG is small, that’s right. Therefore, she would actually have good prerequisites for agreeing on the inside and being strong on the outside. We are currently experiencing an unpleasant phase of controversy. But I am optimistic that it will soon go in a better direction again.

Since June your association has had a new, provisionally appointed president: Matthias Große, Claudia Pechstein’s partner. In one open letter Grosse has proclaimed a “new beginning”. He promotes “fair, respectful cooperation”. The interests of the athletes should come to the fore. What are your expectations?

Geisreiter: We formulated the expectations of Matthias Große early on: that he should act in unison; that he acts non-partisan; that he can act beyond the own interests of his partner Claudia Pechstein.

Leon Kaufmann-Ludwig: I found the open letter partly very successful. There is talk of transparency, involvement of athletes, overcoming personal feelings. The association has a lot to catch up on. We therefore hope that there will be a collaboration that finds a constructive path – even if some promises have apparently already gone overboard. I had also hoped for a lot because one of the biggest election promises was the financial security of the association. Mr. Große has already redeemed this with the introduction of a new sponsor. But I think it’s a shame that the sponsorship contract should only start in September, not now; and that he is linked to his presidency. This can be misunderstood as a sign that the presidency is more important than the common good.

The ordinary general meeting of the DESG takes place in September, at which the acting president must then stand for election.

Geisreiter: I also see the sponsor’s connection to himself as critical. It is positive for the association if there is money. But the collateral damage that went along with it is significant.

You are alluding to one of the first official acts of the new Presidium: the dismissal of speed skating coach Erik Bouwman in the middle of the season. The athletes were there toorate gezogen?

Geisreiter: To my knowledge not. We found out from the press.

Kaufmann-Ludwig: I think it was no accident. It must have been clear to Mr. Große that there was no consent from the athletes. It was only Claudia Pechstein and Matthias Große who had a public argument with Bouwman.

Geisreiter: I also have this feedback: athletes who speak to me say they see no other profiteer than Pechstein and Grosse. You would like to continue working with Bouwman.

The termination had a history: the dispute between Pechstein and the national coach escalated in the winter when Bouwman called them “malicious” and “populist” and their appearance “sucks”. Große now argues that this shows a lack of respect, which has undermined the reputation of the association. He said literally: “A national coach who throws up the most successful winter Olympian is not the right one.” The welfare of the association takes precedence. How do you see that?

Geisreiter: Certainly that has to be taken into account. Of course, you should not express yourself with this choice of words in an association. But Bouwman knows that himself. To my knowledge, there has also been a debate. The matter was actually settled. But when Matthias Große elevates this to an association-encroaching incident, he measures with two standards. Because the termination of a national coach in the middle of the season is just as damaging to the association: It presented a group of athletes with great uncertainty, it massively disrupted the sporting development at that time. Isn’t that more damaging to the association than having to endure or resolve a personal conflict?

Is that the collateral damage you were talking about?

Geisreiter: That is one thing. But for some weeks now I have also been concerned about the emergence of a certain fear of saying my own opinion. Since the provisional presidency, athletes have come up to me and said – unasked – that they have concerns about expressing their opinions because they do not know whether they will retain their management status. I have received such requests several times without looking for a conversation.

Kaufmann-Ludwig: I can confirm that. Some athletes have declined interview requests because they fear it will be used against them. Some also fear that it will become the rule in the future that such far-reaching personnel decisions will be made across the heads of the athletes.