Olympia 2018: Hörmann: Athletes are to decide on their own about participation

DOSB President Alfons Hörmann wants to make a decision to participate in the Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang (9. till 25. February) will not put any pressure on German athletes.

In view of the military threat posed by North Korea, top athletes such as ski racer Felix Neureuther no longer ruled out the possibility of a start in South Korea.

“It is up to each individual to decide whether or not to accept a possible nomination. Felix Neureuther as well as any other athlete is free to decide individually and without any pressure or guideline whether he wants to participate in the games or not,”Hörmann told Deutschlandfunk radio.

If you were to find out at some point that it is not responsible, you would have to act accordingly,”said Hörmann, adding:” We assume that this will not be an issue at the present time “.

Hörmann explained that the team leadership and DOSB would do everything for the safety of the athletes. To this end, the Federal Foreign Office, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Federal Criminal Police Office are in close contact with the German Federal Foreign Office. In addition, DOSB board member Dirk Schimmelpfennig, who was chief of mission for the first time in Pyeongchang, was there two weeks ago with a delegation.

Hörmann welcomed the idea of equipping North Korean athletes with additional wildcards for Pyeongchang in the spirit of international understanding. If it were possible to bring North Korean athletes to Pyeongchang, I would welcome this under the aspect of the World Sports Festival,”said Hörmann.