“Munich and the Olympics: Do They Go Hand in Hand?” – the DOSB Invites Guests to Engage in Dialog - Deine Olympischen und Paralympischen Spiele in Deutschland

Third dialog forum to discuss a prospective German Olympic bid to be presented by the German Olympic Sports Federation
Sunday, 5 November 2023, starting at 11:00 AM, at the Small Olympic Hall in Munich
Panel discussion with Bavaria’s Minister of the Interior and Sports Joachim Herrmann, Mayor Dieter Reiter, DOSB Vice President Verena Bentele, and former FCB Basketball Player Steffen Hamann, among others
Open to all citizens at any time, no prior registration required.

Frankfurt, 30 October 2023 – Why should, or shouldn’t, the Olympic and Paralympic Games be hosted in Germany? The German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) intends to discuss those questions, among others, with the citizens of Munich on Sunday, 5 November 2023. The dialog forum is scheduled to take place from 11:00 AM to 05:00 PM at the Small Olympic Hall inside Munich’s Olympic Park.

The DOSB, via the dialog forum, is giving the people of Munich a voice in the process at an early stage. Torsten Burmester, Chairman of the Board, DOSB: “Engaging in dialog with the inhabitants of Munich will allow us to listen to the concerns, as well as ideas, that people have about hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Germany, and to take them into serious consideration at an early stage. We would like to highlight the sustainable opportunities that a bid can offer for Munich, as well as for Germany.” On the heels of the dialog forums in Leipzig and Hamburg, it is Munich’s turn at bat. Events in Berlin (12/11) and Düsseldorf (13/11), representing the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, are due to follow. All of the cities and regions mentioned have accepted the DOSB’s invitation to participate in the process and have expressed their general interest in hosting the event.

Olympic Park – a Long-Standing Symbol of the 1972 Games

More than half a century has passed since the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich. Germany has not hosted any Olympic Games since then. Olympic Park, which once served as the venue, not only remains a popular sports destination, but is a tourist attraction and a world-renowned event location as well. The Olympic Village has also remained inhabited.

Next Sunday, the third of a total of five DOSB dialog forums is set to take place at the Small Olympic Hall from 11:00 AM to 05:00 PM. Joachim Herrmann, Bavarian State Minister of the Interior, Sports, and Integration, will be in attendance and is looking forward to an open exchange of opinions: “Bavaria is a state that is passionate about sports – the Olympic and Paralympic Games can offer a great deal of added value to the people of our state if they are anchored in society, if they are sustainable, and if they have the support of the public. The social importance of sports is immeasurable. It would warm my heart to see it significantly strengthened again throughout Germany and to get society up and moving. The Olympic and Paralympic Games can, in fact, provide unique impetus that goes far beyond the world of sports and sports development. Therefore, it is essential that the public be engaged in a timely manner, that they be taken seriously, and that they be involved in the process – both Olympic enthusiasts as well as critics.”

“Munich and the Olympics: Do they go hand in hand? The DOSB and the city of Munich would like to discuss that specific issue with all interested citizens on 5 November. I am eagerly looking forward to the exchange and would like to thank the DOSB for the opportunity to openly discuss the pros and cons of hosting the Olympic Games. Munich is a sports city, which has been proven time and time again, most recently with the successful staging of the European Championships last summer – so let’s get the communication ball rolling and explore how and whether that can also be applied to the Olympic Games,” commented Munich’s Mayor, Dieter Reiter.

“The 2022 European Championships Electrified Munich”

The European Championships were the biggest event to be held in the Olympic Park since the 1972 Games. “Nearly 1.5 million people came together, 50 years after the Olympic Games, to attend an extraordinary multi-sport event in which the spirit of 1972 could truly be felt. Nine European Championships and a unique supporting program thrilled visitors, electrifying Munich and creating positive and impressive images that circulated around the world. The promise we made to interpret the legacy of the 1972 Games in a modern way and to leave a legacy of our own was kept,” said Marion Schöne, Managing Director of Olympiapark München GmbH, looking back. “The fact that we are currently discussing another German bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games with such thoroughness and public participation, and that Munich could potentially host the Olympics for a second time, is also thanks to the European Championships. They proved that a multi-sport event could be carried out in a responsible and sustainable manner – for the benefit and enjoyment of the public.”

Focus on Sustainable Opportunities and Prospects for Munich

From 11:00 AM to 05:00 PM, attendees of the dialog forum can expect a mixture of up-to-date information on the DOSB process, a panel discussion, and moderated discussion rounds in which attendees will be able to actively participate. Residents of Munich will be encouraged to put forward ideas and critiques on the focal areas of sports, the economy, society, sustainability, and the future.

At 01:00 PM, Joachim Herrmann, Bavarian State Minister of the Interior, Sports, and Integration, and the Mayor of Munich, Dieter Reiter, will officially open the dialog forum. Two DOSB presentations on the new bidding process and a look at the Olympic Games of the future will follow.

“Sportstudio” presenter Katrin Müller-Hohenstein will welcome Joachim Herrmann and Dieter Reiter back to the stage for a panel discussion from 02:00 PM to 03:00 PM. The two politicians will be joined by DOSB Vice President and Paralympics Champion Verena Bentele, former Basketball Player and 2008 Olympian Steffen Hamann, up-and-coming Judoka Kilian Kappelmeier, and Sports Journalist Markus Harm to discuss the added value, risks, and conditions associated with a prospective bid to host the Games in Germany.

Afterwards, a second round of dialog and five supervised exhibition stands will provide opportunities for additional discussion. At 04:45 PM, Marion Schöne, Managing Director of Olympiapark München GmbH, and Jörg Ammon, President of the Bavarian State Sports Association, will summarize the results of the day and bid farewell to the visitors. “The fact that we are hosting a dialog forum on a prospective bid for the Olympic Games here and now – more than 50 years after the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich – fills me with great pride and makes me feel optimistic about our sporting future. One thing is clear: This will only succeed if there is broad public support. Where else, if not right here – in the shadow of Coubertin’s legacy – could the idea be more intensively explored. We, as the largest citizens’ movement in the Free State of Bavaria, made up of roughly 4.6 million sports enthusiasts, are delighted to lend our support to this dialog forum. More importantly, we are eager to see the results,” said Jörg Ammon.

Dialog Results to Form the Basis of a Bid

The results of the various dialog formats are currently being consolidated in the Frankfurt Declaration, which will serve as the societal guidelines for a prospective Olympic bid. The Frankfurt Declaration will be presented at the DOSB General Assembly on 2 December 2023.

Additional information on the dialog forum in Munich can be found here.