German Olympic Bid Dilemma

(ATR) The German Interior Minister calls for a new Olympic bid. Where is another question.

"I think we should have an Olympic bid from Germany in mind," said Federal Interior Minister Horst Seehofer Saturday at the general assembly of German Olympic Sports Federation DOSB in Frankfurt.

"Therefore we have to not slow down," he said, calling for Germany to bid for major sporting events to bring the Olympic bid to Germany. He says a national strategy will be necessary.

Seehofer also called for a change in the image of the Olympics, away from the commercialization towards putting athletes in the spotlight.

"Then we have a chance to bring something like this back to Germany," he said. "We want and we can do it."

But DOSB President Alfons Hörmann says it is not certain where this bid will come.

"Berlin and Hamburg are not ready for anOlympic bid for the year 2032," he said at the conclusion of the meeting.

"Hamburg has given a clear signal that it cannot imagine an Olympic bid," said Hörmann. Berlin has stated that 2032 is too early.

That leaves an initiative from the Rhine-Ruhr as the only potential candidate for 2032.

"Thus the German sport is faced with the question of how to deal with the topic. We are in the middle of discussions and analysis," explained Hörmann.

"The DOSB general meeting will meet at the right time to make a decision," he said.

The DOSB chief said that legal action was being taken against a possible 2030 winter bid from the state of Thüringen.

"We have reviewed the documentation and see no perspective for a Winter Games bid," said Hörmann.

The DOSB has already obtained a cease-and-desist declaration against the use of Olympic symbols by promoters in Thüringen.

"This means that this issue can be regarded as settled," he says.

Reported by Heinz Peter Kreuzer in Germany.