“We Would Like to Discuss What Added Value the Olympics Could Offer Leipzig.”

• First DOSB dialog forum to be held under the “YOUR IDEAS. YOUR GAMES.” dialog initiative
• Kick-off in Leipzig at 10:00 AM on 30 September 2023 at the Alte Handelsbörse, Naschmarkt 1
• Open to all citizens at any time.
• Guests will include Burkhard Jung, Mayor of the City of Leipzig, DOSB Vice President Kerstin Holze, and Klaus-Ulrich Mau, Vice President of Competitive Sports, State Sports Federation of Saxony.

Frankfurt, 25 September 2023 – Why should, or shouldn’t, the Olympic and Paralympic Games be hosted in Germany? The German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) aims to determine the conditions under which a German Olympic bid would be possible. The DOSB General Assembly passed a resolution to that effect at the end of last year. In July 2023, the DOSB launched the “YOUR IDEAS. YOUR GAMES.” dialog initiative.

The DOSB intends to engage in conversation with people all over the country. In addition to the continuous digital dialog and a series of nine expert talks, dialog forums are also part of the process. The one-day events are scheduled to take place in the five cities that have accepted the DOSB’s invitation to participate in the current process, thereby expressing their general interest in hosting the prospective Games. Leipzig, Berlin, Hamburg, Munich, and the City of Düsseldorf, representing the state of North Rhine-Westphalia, are the five cities in question.

Leipzig Gets the Ball Rolling

The dialog forum gives citizens a voice when it comes to the process – at an early stage. Torsten Burmester, Chairman of the Board, DOSB: “Engaging in dialog with the general public will allow us to listen to the concerns people have about hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Germany, and to take them into serious consideration at an early stage. With an eye on Leipzig’s failed bid for the 2012 Summer Games, we would like to discuss what changes have taken place since then and what added value the Olympics could offer Leipzig as well as Germany.”

The inaugural dialog forum is scheduled to take place from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM on Saturday, 30 September 2023 at the Alte Handelsbörse in Leipzig. Burkhard Jung, Mayor of the City of Leipzig: “Sports are firmly anchored in Leipzig in a multitude of ways, from competitive sports to recreational sports to sports science. As a result, it makes sense for the City of Leipzig to be involved in this process. I appreciate the fact that the people of Leipzig will be involved in the German Olympic bid process right from the start, but I am also looking forward to the subsequent conceptualization and discussion surrounding a German Olympic bid. I am convinced that Germany will ultimately come up with an internationally competitive and sustainable concept.”

From 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM, the program will include information on the DOSB’s current processes, interviews, and a roundtable discussion. The Mayor of the City of Leipzig, Burkhard Jung, DOSB Vice President Kerstin Holze, and Vice President of Competitive Sports, State Sports Federation of Saxony Klaus-Ulrich Mau will then take part in an on-stage discussion.

From 12:00 PM to 4:00 PM, guests will then have the opportunity to gather information, exchange ideas, and participate in moderated discussion panels at various booths, where they will be able to voice their ideas, criticisms, and reservations. Areas of focus include: sports, the economy, society, sustainability, as well as the future and the past. Questions such as “Will hosting the 2036 Olympic Games in Germany create opportunities or pose risks?” and “What added value would the citizens of Leipzig like to see?” will then be discussed together. Klaus-Ulrich Mau, Vice President of Competitive Sports, State Sports Federation of Saxony: “Hosting the Olympic Games in Germany would be a catalyst in the development of sports. Both amateur as well as competitive sports would benefit in equal measure, as would the construction of sports facilities and, in principle, the social significance of sports in society. Hosting part of the Olympic Games here in our Free State of Saxony would also give us an outstanding opportunity to present ourselves internationally.”

Dialog Results to Form the Basis of a Bid

The results of the various dialog formats will be bundled in the Frankfurt Declaration and 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 can be found here.