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Erik Lesser at the World Cup in Ruhpolding, early January 2022
Photo:
Oryk HAIST / imago images/Oryk HAIST
Biathlete Erik Lesser has once again criticized the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and its President Thomas Bach for awarding the Winter Olympics to Beijing. "We athletes now have to pay for what the IOC couldn't manage. We are now standing there and having to justify ourselves for the Olympic Games in a country where human rights are being violated. So we also have to make more critical tones – which Thomas Bach, as IOC President, cannot do,” Lesser told the Münchner Merkur.
He travels to the Olympics in China (February 4 to 20) with “mixed feelings,” said the 33-year-old: “On the one hand, there is the political situation in China.
We athletes are always asked about it before the games.
And I would like to point out that we have to take a stand on things that the IOC should have clarified years ago.«
Beijing will be "certainly the last games" for Lesser
In addition, the Corona situation “does not make it any easier to develop anticipation.
You have qualified and picked up the Olympic clothing, but now are the important days when we must not get infected and put the interpersonal contacts to the test again so that we remain healthy and corona-negative, "said Lesser.
Since it "will certainly be the last games for him," says Lesser, "it also gives me the extra portion of motivation to be one hundred percent disciplined when it comes to Corona.
I tell myself now: I'll only do all this once more - and then I'll have done it.«
But despite all the reservations and criticism: “These are the Olympic Games.
And when the gun goes off, every athlete feels the urge to fight for the medals,” said Lesser.
The goal of the German biathletes is "a relay medal in any case.
It's going to be hard work.
But we proved in the World Cup that we have what it takes.«
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