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Munich (dpa) - The rower Oliver Zeidler has described the appreciation of top-class Olympic sport in Germany as low on the basis of the comparatively small premium for a gold medal.
Unlike in other countries, where Olympic champions have financially provided for the rest of their lives, gold medal winners in this country receive 20,000 euros from Deutsche Sporthilfe.
"20,000 euros is really a bit embarrassing," said the world and European champion on Monday during a visit to the Munich press club.
"You can add at least a zero to it," said the 24-year-old favorite for the games in Tokyo, "even in a country like Germany, where we really have a lot of money and a lot of people adorn themselves with the sport".
The criticism is not directed against the German Olympic Sports Confederation, whose boss Alfons Hörmann sat next to Zeidler on the podium.
The athlete added: "It has something to do with the attitude towards sport, which is a bit behind."
The DOSB President admitted that most Olympic starters “live for their sport and not from their sport”.
He does not want to hide the fact that there is room for improvement in a number of such topics.
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The question of what a medal is worth is one of them.
"But what is just as important to us is: How do we protect those who do not make it to gold, silver and bronze?" Asked Hörmann.
"Because it is even more difficult for them, because they also do not have the great and beautiful success that can be used sensibly for the future in a country like Germany."
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210510-99-542982 / 2
Brief portrait of Zeidler on the homepage of the German Rowing Association