Austrian ski hope ends career in top shape at 26: "A disaster"

Created: 07/18/2022Updated: 07/18/2022 05:06

By: Andreas Knobloch

Mathias Graf will no longer ski for ÖSV.

© Eibner-Pressefoto /EXPA/Angerer via www.imago-images.de

He was the dominator in the European Cup, was considered an Olympic hope and is now ending his career at the age of 26. Mathias Graf also explains his decision.

Lustenau - It is the dream of many winter sports enthusiasts.

Winning an Olympic medal.

However, the way there is also associated with some obstacles.

Some cannot be overcome, even if you have all the athletic skills.

This is what happened to 26-year-old Mathias Graf, who is now ending his career at a very young age, which caused horror in the Austrian Ski Association.

But the reasoning is clear and understandable.

It has long been Graf's wish to celebrate World Cup successes in his country's alpine skiing squad.

However, when the placements were not the desired result, he switched to ski freestyle in 2021.

He found his destiny in ski cross - four skiers descend the piste at the same time, over bumps, jumps and curves.

In the European Cup (so to speak, the 2nd league) last season he won the overall World Cup, he won eight races.

So nothing stood in the way of participating in the World Cup.

He will not redeem the ticket.

Ski hope Graf: "It's no longer possible for me financially"

He told the Austrian Kronen Zeitung: “Financially, I just can’t do it anymore.

As a mountaineer, I was in the fortunate position of being promoted and insured as an army athlete for four years.

After this contract expired, I still received 80 percent of my salary as a professional measure last year.” A recent decision now caused the end.

"Due to the fact that I unfortunately did not get a training place in the police top sports squad, I incur horrendous costs just for the insurance - which is significantly higher for an athlete than for other people," says Graf in the Krone interview and he leads further: "I can't cover these expenses with what I get from the state of Vorarlberg, for example.

A financial challenge that forced an athlete who was now even seen as an Olympic hopeful for the 2026 games to quit.

A fierce affair for the ÖSV, which cannot influence the police's top sports squad.

"The decision is a catastrophe for us," comments Markus Gutenbrunner, who is responsible for ski cross, but for whom the matter is not over yet.

"We will do everything we can to find a solution for Mathias."

Ski freestyler Graf not in the top sports squad, Reinfried Herbst justifies his decision

Ex-ski ace Reinfried Herbst, who is the top sports coordinator, explains the decision: "Mathias is on a great path, but we had so many applicants who were already able to celebrate great sporting successes at a higher level.

I hope that Mathias will continue.

Because if he delivers the successes that one can expect after last season in the World Cup, he has very good chances with the police in the future.

Graf, who is very grateful to his parents and his two siblings "for everything they gave up" so that he could get a foothold in top-class sport, is now "personally better" with the decision.

His “normal training” starts on December 1st.

And as a police officer.

A German winter athlete also gave up his career early.

Speed ​​skater Joel Dufter is now starting an apprenticeship as a carpenter.