Brandenburg invests millions in competitive sports

Potsdam (dpa/bb). With millions in funding, the Brandenburg state government wants to further expand youth work in competitive sports. In the Olympic base in Frankfurt (Oder) alone, 4 million euros were invested in construction and renovation work last year, as in 2018, said Secretary of State for Sport Steffen Freiberg on Wednesday during a visit to the sports school. 480 students are taught at the comprehensive school with a high school level. They are particularly encouraged in the sports of boxing, wrestling, weightlifting, cycling, target shooting, judo, men’s soccer and women’s handball.

Sports Minister Britta Ernst (SPD) presented the country’s first sports funding report in the cabinet on Tuesday. According to this, the state funded clubs and youth work in competitive and popular sports in 2020 and 2021 with a total of a good 48 million euros.

15 clubs were also supported with a total of 900,000 euros in preparation for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. According to the ministry, 25 athletes from Brandenburg took part in the 2021 Olympic Games in Tokyo. They won one gold, three silver and one bronze medal. Eleven athletes from Brandenburg took part in the Paralympics. They won two gold, two silver and six bronze medals.

“With the bases for Olympic and Paralympic sports, there are excellent opportunities for competitive athletes,” said Ernst. “The “Dual Career” also in the area of ​​the Ministry of Sports enables them to pursue a professional career beyond their sporting career.” The “Dual Career” is made possible for competitive athletes in fire brigade and police sports promotion groups. For Paralympic athletes there are sports promotion offices in the state administration.