Olympia 2022: German flag bearers at the Winter Games - all information
Created: 02/10/2022, 12:28 p.m
The German team with flag bearer Eric Frenzel at the opening ceremony in Pyeongchang 2018 © Michael Kappeler / dpa
The German flag-bearers are elected according to a set procedure that has changed several times in the past.
Claudia Pechstein and Francesco Friedrich have the honorable task at the 2022 Olympics.
Update from February 3rd: It is now clear!
Claudia Pechstein and Francesco Friedrich will carry the German flag at the Olympic opening ceremony.
First report from January 14: Berlin – On January 6, 2022, the record speed skater Claudia Pechstein came into play as the German flag bearer for the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The 49-year-old athlete is taking part in the Winter Olympics for the eighth time.
In the run-up to the last Winter Games, which took place in Pyeongchang in February 2018, Pechstein had already expressed his wish to carry the flag for Team Germany.
She was nominated by the Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), but failed to vote.
On the other hand, the athlete has already carried the German flag twice at the closing ceremonies of the Winter Olympics, in Lillehammer in 1994 and in Turin in 2006.
German flag bearers at the Olympic Winter Games: review
Before the current Olympic Winter Games 2022, the following athletes took over the task of the German flag bearer at the opening ceremony of these Winter Games since reunification:
Albertville 1992: Bobsledder Wolfgang Hoppe
Lillehammer 1994: Biathlete Mark Kirchner
Nagano 1998: Cross-country skier Jochen Behle
Salt Lake City 2002: ski racer Hilde Gerg
Turin 2006: biathlete Kati Wilhelm
Vancouver 2010: Bobsledder Andre Lange
Sochi 2014: Ski racer Maria Höfl-Riesch
Pyeongchang 2018: Nordic Combined Eric Frenzel
In chronological order, the following athletes led the German team Germany into the stadium for the closing ceremony:
Albertville 1992: Cross-country skier Antje Misersky
Lillehammer 1994: speed skater Claudia Pechstein
Nagano 1998: speed skater Gunda Niemann
Salt Lake City 2002: Luger Georg Hackl
Turin 2006: speed skater Claudia Pechstein
Vancouver 2010: Biathlete Magdalena Neuner
Sochi 2014: luger Felix Loch
Pyeongchang 2018: ice hockey player Christina Ehrhoff
German Flag Bearers for the Opening Ceremony of the Olympic Winter Games 2022: The Selection Process
It is expected that the selection of the German flag bearer for the Olympic Winter Games 2022 will be similar to the Winter and Summer Games of the past.
The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOS) had nominated five candidates for selection.
The following performance or characteristics play an important role as criteria for the nomination:
the successes achieved so far, especially in previous Olympiads
Prospects of success in the current Olympic Games
Role model in terms of fairness and rejection of doping, also outside of sport
gender balance (at least two women or men)
In addition, the athletes should represent the diversity of the sports represented at the Olympic Winter Games.
For this reason, the DOSB always nominates active people from different disciplines.
A digital election will then take place.
The public, who can vote online, and the athletes each have 50 percent of the votes.
At the last Summer Olympics, which were held in Tokyo in 2021, two athletes carried the German flag together for the first time: Beach volleyball player Laura Ludwig and water jumper Patrick Hausding led the German team into the stadium with the flag.
Previously only one German flag bearer appeared.
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German flag bearers for the closing ceremony of the 2022 Winter Olympics: The nomination process
The criteria for selecting the German flag-bearer to carry the flag at the closing ceremony are similar to the candidate for the opening ceremony.
Particular attention is paid to performance and behavior during the past games.
It can be assumed that, as with the previous Olympics, the DOSB will announce five candidates shortly before the start of the 2022 Winter Olympics.
The public and the Olympians will then decide in a vote which two athletes will carry the German flag.
Experts are betting that the DOSB will again nominate a man and a woman.
The dual role of flag bearer at the Tokyo Summer Olympics was well received by athletes and spectators alike.