Olympia with Felix Neureuther: Playing with Fire – Who Still Needs This Olympic Games?

Where did the Olympic spirit go? Will the Olympic idea of ​​trade be sacrificed? Felix Neuwerther is looking for clues. For connoisseurs of sports performances, the Games in Beijing are the height of the absurd.

Beijing is not a winter sports area and does not respect human rights in China. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) clearly did not care. Sports software expert Felix Neuwerther calls for gaming reform.

He asks himself: How did this decision come? What is the position of the Olympics anyway? How is the mega event funded? What is the impact of the Olympic Games on mass sport and as a social pillar? Is there a chance for fair, sustainable and climate-friendly games?

For Newerther, one thing is for sure: “The main title of the IOC application criteria should be the word ‘sustainability’ and not the word ‘make money’. I don’t mind if the Olympics make a lot of money for the sport as well as for the athletes, but it’s about them proportionality and proportions.”

Neureuther meets experts, officials and insiders

In search of solutions, Neureuther meets experts and visionaries. He discusses with IOC officials and insiders and gets extensive insights on the matter “IOC System” and its rigid autocratic structures.

Athletes under pressure: No sponsors without the Olympics

Neureuther interviewed critical chiefs from the sports world and, like many athletes, met four-time bobsleigh world champion Johannes Lochner. Lochner also knows the contrast between appearance and reality. However, his presence and the presence of his team members depend on participation in the Olympics, because this is the only way to get the necessary sponsorship money.

Felix Neuwerther is especially stumped when he meets representatives of the Uyghur minority, who report on human rights abuses and the dire situation in Chinese concentration camps.

Neureuther: Human rights are not respected in Beijing

After his journey in search of future motives, Felix Neuwerther concludes: “Olympia should and should have a home anywhere in the world – if human rights are respected and the framework conditions are appropriate. This is not the case for me in Beijing.”