Who is behind it?

The German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) is the umbrella organization of German sports and represents the interests of around 87,000 gymnastics and sports clubs, which have more than 27 million members. The DOSB was founded on 20 May 2006 as a result of the merger between the German Sports Confederation and the National Olympic Committee for Germany.

The DOSB is responsible for the development and promotion of sports in Germany, both at the highest and broadest levels. Among other things, it is responsible for the preparation and participation of German athletes in the Olympic Games and other major sporting events. It also represents the interests of German sports at both the national and international levels. The DOSB also focuses on youth sports development, gender equality in sports, and the observance of ethical principles in sports.

In order to live up to its mission statement, the DOSB works closely with 99 member organizations, including 16 state sports associations, 66 umbrella organizations, and 18 associations specializing in specific tasks.

You can read more about the DOSB here.

What are the Olympic and Paralympic Games?

The Olympic Games are competitions between athletes in individual or team events who compete for their respective countries. The Games date back to ancient Greece. They were established in 776 BC and took place every four years in Olympia. The first Summer Olympics of modern times were held in Athens (Greece) in 1896, and the first Winter Olympics were held in Chamonix (France) in 1924. The initiator of the modern Olympic Games was Frenchman Pierre de Coubertin.

The word Olympiad refers to the four-year period between the Summer Olympics. Until 1992, incidentally, the Summer and Winter Olympic Games took place during the same year. After that, the Winter Olympics were staggered by two years in relation to the Summer Olympics, maintaining the four-year interval.

The Paralympic Games, or Paralympics, have been around since 1960 They took place in Rome that inaugural year. During the Paralympics, athletes with physical impairments compete against each other. Back then, in Rome, the sporting event was not called the Paralympics, but the “International Stoke Mandeville Games”. The Olympic Games for people with disabilities have only been called the Paralympics or Paralympic Games since 1988. They take place just after the Olympic Games, in summer or winter and at the same venue.

The Olympic and Paralympic Games are a reflection of the principles of the Olympic idea: the pursuit of excellence, the spirit of peaceful competition, the spirit of friendship and international understanding, and the spirit of fair play.

Facts and figures.

about the Olympic Games.

  • The Olympic Games are held over a period of 16 days.
  • Approx. 10,500 athletes participate.
  • There are 28 core sports covering 44 disciplines as well as additional sports proposed by the host city or region.
  • More than 300 sporting events take place at about 40 venues.
  • The French capital of Paris will host the 33rd Olympic Games.

about the Winter Olympics

  • The Winter Olympics are held over a period of 16 days.
  • Approx. 2,900 athletes participate.
  • There are seven core sports covering 15 disciplines as well as additional sports proposed by the host city or region.
  • More than 100 sporting events take place at about 12 venues.
  • The Italian city of Milan and the region of Cortina d’Ampezzo will host the 25th Winter Olympic Games in 2026.

about the Paralympic Games

  • The Paralympic Games are held over a period of 13 days.
  • Approx. 4,300 athletes participate.
  • There are 22 sports.
  • More than 500 sporting events take place at about 20 venues.

about the Paralympic Winter Games

  • The Winter Olympics are held over a period of 10 days.
  • Approx. 550 athletes participate.
  • There are six sports.
  • More than 70 sporting events take place at about six competition venues.

The bid strategy process

As part of an open-ended dialog and information initiative, the DOSB intends to work with the German population to develop framework conditions for a possible German bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. The DOSB was commissioned to carry out this task at the General Assembly in December 2022. The launch date for the initiative is 7 July 2023.

Since the 1972 Munich Games, Germany’s bid history has been largely unsuccessful. In order to establish a new process, evaluation of the unsuccessful bids at the national or international level was therefore important. Based on that, we developed six guidelines to serve as guiding principles throughout the process.

The new strategic approach is based on education, transparency, information, and participation in as many areas of society as possible. We are convinced that this is the only way we can reduce concerns, especially outside the world of sports. That includes clarifying the expectations of society as a whole with regard to the Olympic and Paralympic Games before we delve more deeply into annual figures, host cities, and a final IOC bid. We have to define why we want to bid before we look at practicalities.
We are convinced that the Olympic and Paralympic Games, if planned in a participatory and future-oriented manner, can generate added value for the entire country. That is precisely why we would like to bring them back to Germany after more than 50 years.

We intend to use digital expert talks and analog dialog forums, as well as constant discourse on our social media platforms and website, to clarify the expectations of citizens, politicians, cultural institutions, and athletes at the highest level and at the grassroots level. How should the Olympic and Paralympic Games be designed to ensure that they are advantageous for Germany in a wide range of areas? What reservations are there about the Olympic Games, and how can they be overcome? We will address these questions as well as many others.

The results of the initiative will be presented at the DOSB’s General Meeting in Frankfurt on 2 December 2023. They will then serve as the basis for the development of a German bid concept.

Die Kosten für die einjährigen vorbereitenden Maßnahmen von rund 960.000 Euro werden im Übrigen vom DOSB selbst getragen.

The initiative guidelines.

Der DOSB ist der Initiator des Strategieprozesses für eine neue deutsche Bewerbung um Olympische und Paralympische. Guidelines were established in advance. They form the guiding principles governing the strategy process, which is scheduled to run for two years.

Why before where, when, and how: Before we start the planning process, we must understand the expectations of the sporting community, politicians, and society at large. The why takes top priority for us. After that, we can address the questions of where, when, and how the Games can be held in Germany.

Sustainable use of sports infrastructure: The bid concept is entirely based on existing or temporarily upgraded sports facilities.

While preparing for the home game, we prepare for the away game: First, we secure national support while simultaneously preparing for the international competition.

We work together instead of against each other: We develop the bid concept together with suitable and interested cities and regions.

Maximum stakeholder involvement: We involve the Federal Ministry of the Interior and Home Affairs as well as federations, athletes, cities, and states throughout the entire process as part of a steering committee.

Binding mandate from the people: We will not submit a bid unless the citizens concerned vote in favor of it.

Explainer video.

Whatch our video to find out what´s behind our initiative