New speed skating boss Große: Together up on thin ice

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Matthias Große in front of the Müggelturm

First there is music for the assembled journalists. "As of today, the German speed skating association DESG has its own hymn", announced the president, and then it is played in immediately. "Kufenträume", sung and written by Andy Ost, an old friend of the new president. It says: "Dream dreams come true, let's go together, together out on thin ice." The president then praises a bonus: the regional association that shoots the best video for the song receives 6,000 euros. "A jury of world and Olympic champions" will decide on it.

Since Matthias Große has been President of DESG, different music has been played in every sense of the word. The tone has changed since then.

For example, it is new that it is counted how long the big ones have been in charge. "Today is the 55th day of my acting presidency," said Große to the press at the Müggelturm in Berlin. The property in the south of Berlin, a popular excursion destination from GDR times, belongs to Große and his real estate company, since he has been at the top of DESG, has been the association's unofficial headquarters here. DESG is actually based in Munich, but all important decisions are now made at the Müggelturm.

"What happened during that time"

55 days, and the new press spokesman Daniel Gäsche appointed by Große enthuses: "This intensity, this number of strokes, if things continue like this, it can only be golden and successful. Everything that has already happened during this time!"

Indeed, a lot has happened in these 55 days. For example, national coach Eric Bowman got his passport, and now sports director Matthias Kulik has also been released. Allegedly "because of serious misconduct over months". Grosse did not want to reveal what this actually meant. Kulik and the DESG are moving towards labor court proceedings, so he is not allowed to comment publicly. It was enough to accuse Kulik of wrongdoing.

Bowman and Kulik were not known as friends of Große and his partner Claudia Pechstein, it was clear that they had no prospects under the new president. Grosse asserted repeatedly on Friday that he did not want to "exclude anyone, instead take everyone with him", in keeping with the new anthem, Kulik and Bowman are clearly not among those who are meant by this.

General representatives appointed

Instead, Grosse presented a candidate who is to take over Kulik's work area with immediate effect - but not as a sports director, but as "the President's general representative in matters relating to sports". Große invented the title because it cannot fill the job of sports director as long as Kulik and DESG are still legally mutually exclusive.

The one chosen by Große is called Nadine Seidenglanz, she did speed skating as a junior, then worked in the Dutch association, among other things as an event manager. Seidenglanz is paid for personally by Große, not by the association, according to the boss. The president says that the 37-year-old was won over by the fact that she had applied to DESG with the announcement that she wanted to make a name for herself with "hard work". Very tough, that impressed him.

Rock-hard, that's how big guys like to see themselves. And so he decided right away that the top runners should train primarily in Inzell in the future: "They have the best halls in Germany, Inzell has the premise until 2026." Anyone who does not want to go along in Berlin, Chemnitz or Erfurt will not be forced, but: "We have a clear plan. And anyone who wants to fly the German flag has to implement this plan."

This plan means above all: wanting to do everything differently. One wants to look ahead, says Große repeatedly and then always likes to look back: The association has "given a miserable picture for years," says Große, and one now has to tackle everything "that has been left behind for years". His press spokesman is excited that when they visited Inzell, coaches and athletes "ran around in old training clothes, something unprofessional", none of that will be there any more. Große announced that he had "donated four buses" to the regional associations. The vehicles are in front of the door at the Müggelturm: They bear the label "German Speed ​​Skating Association DESG", the license plates bear the abbreviation MG for Matthias Große.

Große not only came up with a bonus system for the anthem, the athletes, the clubs and the regional associations should also receive money for every Olympic spot. Of course, the bonuses are only available if Grosse remains the head of the association in the future, he made clear.

In fact, Grosse is currently still only acting president; the general assembly in Frankfurt am Main will not decide until September 19, whether he may actually remain at the top of the DESG. His press spokesman gave him the key question: "If you are not re-elected, could it really be that speed skating is no longer Olympic in Germany?" Große replies that he does not want to speculate about it: "The members themselves decide their fate." The message is clear: either big - or the DESG is finished. Up on thin ice together.