Europe's news in English

COPY LINK

SPORT

German Olympic team off to worst start since reunification

After three days of competition Germany was yet to win a single medal at the Rio Olympics by Monday evening - a new low since reunification a quarter century ago.

Published: 9 August 2016 11:44 CEST

German Olympic team off to worst start since reunification

Paul Biedermann. Photo: DPA

Great hopes had been placed on the shoulders of swimming world record-holder Paul Biedermann in his attempt at the 200m freestyle on Monday evening. But the 30-year-old couldn't come up with the goods, finishing at a disappointing sixth in the final solo race of his career.

In table tennis another hopeful, Timo Boll, came up short, dropping out to Nigeria’s Quadri Aruna in the round of sixteen.

So by the end of day three, Germany was still waiting on its first place on the podium – the first time this has happened in the history of reunified Germany.

“We have to be honest – our start hasn’t been what we had wanted. To say anything else would be sugarcoating the facts,” said Alfons Hörmann, head of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB).

But Hörmann called for patience from the German public while warning that the competition was “bloody difficult”.

“In the spirit of self-analysis, we must make clear that in world sport there is a certain standard that we can’t keep up with in many areas.”

SEE ALSO: Ten German athletes to watch at the Rio 2016 Olympics

But it hasn’t only been under-performance that has cost the German team so far. Luck has also played its part. Markswoman Barbara Engleder missed out of a bronze medal by less than a millimetre in the women's rifle competition on Saturday.

And the German team as a whole never believed they were sure to win a medal in the first three days.

”We always knew that we had few serious chances in the first three days,” team captain Michael Vesper said. “So we’re not going to drive ourselves crazy. There are still 13 days of competition to go – every day is a new one.”

Even before the games started, the DOSB’s sport director Dirk Schimmelpfennig warned that the team could have a slow start, calling for “endurance and patience”.

Similarly, Hörmann already appeared to be lowering any expectations of a triumphant return from the games when he said pre-tournament that “it isn’t about the absolute number of medals” but rather “the character, heart and passion” which athletes show.

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.

Become a Member to leave a comment.

Spain women's World Cup players demand more heads roll as Rubiales in court

Just hours after Luis Rubiales was quizzed by a judge for kissing midfielder Jenni Hermoso, all but two of Spain’s 23 World Cup players said they would not don the national shirt without deeper changes within the RFEF, demanding its current interim head also resign.

The statement came as the squad’s new coach Montse Tome was to announce the lineup for two upcoming UEFA Women’s Nations League matches against Sweden and Switzerland, which was promptly postponed, federation sources said.

“The changes put in place are not enough,” said a statement signed by 39 players, among them 21 of the 23 World Cup winners.

Demanding “fundamental changes to the RFEF’s leadership”, they called for the “resignation of the RFEF president” Pedro Rocha, who took over as interim leader when FIFA suspended Rubiales on August 26.

But the federation insisted Rocha would “lead the transition process within the RFEF until the next election”, insisting any changes would be made “gradually”.

A federation source said a leadership election could take place early next year.

“This institution is more important than individuals and it’s crucial it remains strong. We’ll work tirelessly to create stability first in order to progress later,” Rocha said in the statement.

Despite a string of recent changes, the federation remains in the hands of officials appointed by Rubiales, and the players are demanding structural changes “within the office of the president and the secretary general”.

Brought to court by a kiss

The bombshell came after days of optimism within the RFEF that the players would come round after it sacked controversial coach Jorge Vilda, appointed Tome in his stead and pledged further changes, not to mention Rubiales’ long-awaited resignation on Sunday.

On August 25, 81 Spain players, including the 23 world champions, had started a mass strike saying they would not play for the national team without significant changes at the head of the federation.

Earlier on Friday, Rubiales appeared in court where he was quizzed by Judge Francisco de Jorge who is heading up the investigation into the kiss, which sparked international outrage and saw him brought up on sexual assault charges.

At the end of the closed-door hearing, in which Rubiales repeated his claim that the kiss was consensual, the judge ordered him not to come within 200 metres of Hermoso and barred him from any contact with the player.

At the weekend, the 46-year-old had described the kiss as “a spontaneous act, a mutual act, an act that both consented to, which was… 100 percent non-sexual” in an interview with British broadcaster Piers Morgan.

Hermoso, 33, has insisted it was not, describing it as “an impulsive, macho act, out of place and with no type of consent on my part”.

Speaking to reporters outside court, Hermoso’s lawyer Carla Vall said they were “very satisfied” with the hearing.

“Thanks to this video, everyone can see there was no consent whatsoever and that is what we will demonstrate in court.”

Allegations of coercion

Hermoso herself will also testify before the judge at some stage, who will then have to decide whether or not to push ahead with the prosecution. No date has been given for her testimony.

The complaint against Rubiales, which was filed by the public prosecutors’ office, cites alleged offences of sexual assault and coercion.

Under a recent reform of the Spanish penal code, a non-consensual kiss can be considered sexual assault, a category which groups all types of sexual violence.

If found guilty, Rubiales could face anything from a fine to four years in prison, sources at the public prosecutors’ office have said.

In their complaint, prosecutors explained the offence of coercion related to Hermoso’s statement saying she “and those close to her had suffered constant ongoing pressure by Luis Rubiales and his professional entourage to justify and condone” his actions.

At the hearing, Rubiales also denied coercion.

Url copied to clipboard!