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Felix Neureuther settles accounts with Olympia: "You lose your faith there"

2022-02-23T12:00:05.362Z


Felix Neureuther settles accounts with Olympia: "You lose your faith there" Created: 02/23/2022, 12:46 p.m By: Mathias Mueller Felix Neureuther criticizes IOC boss Bach in the tz interview. (Archive image) © Sven Hoppe / dpa Felix Neureuther is currently in corona quarantine in Beijing. In the tz interview, the ARD expert is critical of IOC boss Bach and tells of the magic of Olympia. Munich/


Felix Neureuther settles accounts with Olympia: "You lose your faith there"

Created: 02/23/2022, 12:46 p.m

By: Mathias Mueller

Felix Neureuther criticizes IOC boss Bach in the tz interview.

(Archive image) © Sven Hoppe / dpa

Felix Neureuther is currently in corona quarantine in Beijing.

In the tz interview, the ARD expert is critical of IOC boss Bach and tells of the magic of Olympia.

Munich/Beijing – Felix Neureuther took part in the Olympics three times (2006 Turin, 2010 Vancouver, 2014 Sochi).

The 37-year-old follows the Winter Games in Beijing as an ARD expert.

The tz reached him for a preliminary summary in his hotel quarantine.

Neureuther in quarantine: similar fate as Eric Frenzel and Terence Weber

Mr. Neureuther, you are "only" locked up in the hotel.

But can you imagine how Eric Frenzel felt?

At such a moment you are desperate.

Eric didn't have any symptoms, but he had to sit alone in the middle of nowhere and watch others win the medals.

Mentally it's tough.

That's why it was a special moment from these games that he won another medal, he fought until he dropped and put everything away great.

His teammate Terence Weber did not come out of quarantine in time.

You were one of the medal favorites in 2014, had a car accident on the way there and were a shadow of yourself in the races due to injuries. What does it do to you when your big dream shatters so brutally?

You want to turn back time and think: That can't have been it.

But at some point you have to accept it and set new goals.

This process takes time, but it can make you stronger.

German Alpine skiers miss Olympic medal

Lena Dürr, Linus Straßer and Kira Weidle missed the medal.

They too had something to digest, didn't they?

Lena's first round was terrific.

But to lead at the Olympics, of all things, you have to put up with that in the second run.

In my opinion, she did, even if it wasn't quite enough in the end.

Kira was missing little things.

What a pity!

Linus drove a good race, but for a medal, like Kira, it would have taken the last cheek in the lower part.

Nevertheless, this result was an important further step for him, I believe in him.

Did your ex-colleagues give you feedback on the situation on site?

Yes, many have commented positively.

That you as an athlete try to concentrate on the sport is also legitimate and correct.

But: I do believe that after such events, athletes should also be ready to think outside the box and realize that there is more to them than Olympic medals.

As a result, maybe I didn't win a few races, maybe it would have needed more selfishness.

But when you see the fate of the people in China or the measures and costs with which some sports facilities were built, then it is important to me to articulate this and to face the criticism.

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DEB captain Müller: Concerns about corona rules in China are exaggerated

The captain of the German ice hockey Olympic team, Moritz Müller, believes that concerns about the strict corona rules in China before the winter games are exaggerated.

At the same time, the 2018 silver medalist also expressed fear of possible false positive corona tests.

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The athletes have often reacted extremely emotionally...

That's clear, it's still the Olympic Games.

When you see the rings, it does something to you.

But this magic should be able to radiate in all areas, even outside of the pure competition tracks

Ski crosser Daniela Maier's bronze medal – was that one of those magical moments?

Yes, that's what Olympia is all about.

How fairly she handled the situation was admirable.

There were many emotional moments, including our gold cross-country duo, of course.

This is what makes the Olympic Games so outstanding.

Olympic drama about Kamila Valiyeva: "What a tragedy"

Figure skater Kamila Valiyeva, on the other hand, experienced an Olympic nightmare.

Yes, what a tragedy.

This is a 15 year old girl.

A child.

What has the environment, what has the Russian sports system done to her!

When I think back to when I was 15… and then I see how the trainer treats her without any feeling, it makes you lose your faith.

However the positive sample came about, I'm just sorry.

Even IOC President Thomas Bach has criticized trainer Tutberidze.

How did you experience him?

As I unfortunately expected.

Thomas Bach bowed to the Chinese system, he was a part of it.

These games were a political game ball.

And then the picture with the two-seaters.

At that moment it was all about the media attention and not about the athletes and medalists.

For me, the action was a symbol of where the IOC has moved.

It's not about the athletes, it's about the effect.

Neureuther is a fan of slopestyle, big air and halfpipe

What do you say in general to the ice channel successes?

What the boys and girls delivered was really unique.

Such a joy!

I don't always want to warn, but with these successes in the Eisrinne we shouldn't overlook the fact that we have a lot of catching up to do in many other sports, both popular and competitive.

Without the ice track, the medal table would not look so good.

It is therefore important to continue to invest and also to provide the athletes with financial support.

How do you feel about the more modern ski disciplines of slopestyle, big air and halfpipe?

I looked at it with total enthusiasm: what great sports.

You have to praise the IOC that these young sports can present themselves so perfectly.

How they fight it out, Hallelujah!

I also found aerials impressive.

But that has nothing to do with skiing.

Of course not, but that's not the criterion.

What kind of air status they have.

Crazy!

I am particularly pleased that these sports are the focus of attention at the Olympics.

Felix Neureuther with ideas for the future: "My utopia..."

In four years the winter games will take place in Cortina d'Ampezzo and Milan.

Will everything be better then?

Not everything, but a lot.

This application was a stroke of luck, especially from the point of view of our Munich application, which was rejected.

Many sports facilities already exist.

Italy is a winter sports nation and the enthusiasm of the Italians is proverbial.

I hope that the Olympic venues will also be able to meet these criteria afterwards.

The winter organizer 2030 is still open.

Could the German population be persuaded to apply at all at the moment?

I can't imagine that in the near future.

To do this, the application criteria would have to change enormously.

With its enthusiasm for sports, Germany would be an ideal organizer, but our population would find it difficult to agree with the current cost targets and sustainability problems.

I would like the organizers to have more say.

I would like to see athletes have a greater say.

I would like the Olympic Games to leave a legacy that, e.g.

B. Munich has shown, will continue to have an effect for decades and that people like to look back on.

My utopia: Every country has an athletes' spokesperson who can organize themselves and have a say.

They often initiate ideas.

The question is do you need to get into the system to change it?

That's impossible, how is that supposed to work (laughs)?

As a critical athlete, one is not so well seen in associations.

But I will always give my honest opinion.

Preferably when I can be happy, for example with our German team in Beijing.

They get gold for this performance.

Interview: Mathias Mueller

From a German point of view, the games could hardly have been more successful: They end with the closing ceremony.

We accompany the celebration in the live ticker.

Source: merkur

All sports articles on 2022-02-23

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