On Friday, the Olympic Winter Games will begin in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Felix Neureuther will not be present due to a torn cruciate ligament. Nevertheless, the skier was very critical about the IOC, Olympia itself and the behaviour of some athletes.
“It is a pity for the enthusiasm in this country that the Olympic Games take place several times in a row so far away from Europe, with Pyeongchang, Tokyo, Beijing. When I look at the developments of the last few years, a big demystification unfortunately took place,”Neureuther said in an interview with the Süddeutsche Zeitung.
The 33-year-old raved about the 2010 games in Vancouver, where sporting enthusiasm and fair play had been lived as it should have been at the Olympics. Neureuther believes that it is almost impossible for South Korea to achieve similar results.
“In South Korea, where they planted the games, I don’t have the feeling that such a flair can develop. The country is simply not a winter sports nation for that,”explained the native of Munich. In general, the devaluation of Olympia had already begun four years ago in Sochi, the man finds with the 13 World Cup victories.
“If only expropriation and corruption are reported beforehand, if gigantic sports facilities and hotel villages are pulled up out of nowhere, for which nature is wiped out with the bulldozer – then the values of Olympia disappear in the rubble. The money could have been put to much better use elsewhere. Unfortunately, the IOC doesn’t care about this idea of sustainability. It’s about a gigantic show and how much money can be generated,”said Neureuther, explaining what many people think.
And the son of Rosi Mittermaier and Christian Neureuther continued:”The problem is that in the countries hosting the event, sports facilities are left behind that no one needs or uses. Why do we not make the Olympic Games rules so flexible that they include the organisers’ rights of participation? If the IOC could become a pioneer of green games – that would be in keeping with the times. In any case, this gigantism will no longer receive approval. We can see this from the many failed referenda in Germany, Switzerland and Austria”.
Neureuther is in favour of a complete revision of the procurement guidelines. Sustainability must always come first. And according to Neureuther, the money would also have to remain much more in the host country and not flow to the IOC’s account in gigantic amounts.
“It would be a gain if the IOC could not guarantee special tax rules. That schools are being built, that school sports are being promoted better. Or that a globally uniform anti-doping system is being set up so that a fairer competition would be possible. Associations that do not take part in the event will not be allowed to participate in major sporting events or to start at the Olympics. The idea of the Olympic village that athletes compete against each other in fair play should also apply to the officials,”says Neureuther.
Neureuther said:”The structure of the IOC’s top bodies is so tightly structured that radical changes are never decided upon. The recourse to antiquity with the Olympic gods is justified. Who would like to descend? However, I would like to make it quite clear that there are also excellent representatives at the IOC.”
In order to change things in a positive way, the ski star invited other athletes to speak up and express their opinions. It is far too easy to concentrate on your sport and simply hide the rest.
“We always demand that we want to be involved in decisions more often. But if no one opens their mouth – how are things to be regulated in our sense? Of course, it takes a lot of energy to prepare for an Olympic competition that takes place every four years. But, gentlemen, if I have to give an opinion on the subject of IOC two months before the Olympic Games, then I can say frankly what bothers me. I don’t think that’s why I’m going to the start without a chance. In any case, no athlete can tell me that the developments surrounding it leave him cold,”says Neureuther.