European Championships
Beucher criticizes “inclusion alibi” at Munich Multi-EM
The President of the German Disabled Sports Association: Friedhelm Julius Beucher. photo
© Jens Büttner/dpa-Zentralbild/dpa
Friedhelm Julius Beucher, President of the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS), has criticized the organization of the European Championships 2022 in Munich.
Friedhelm Julius Beucher, President of the German Disabled Sports Association (DBS), has criticized the organization of the European Championships 2022 in Munich.
The para-competitions held at the European Canoeing and Rowing Championships were “only carried out as an alibi for inclusion”, Beucher told Deutschlandfunk.
The 76-year-old justified this with the, in his opinion, extremely unattractive times for the para athletes and the very low presence in media reporting. The DBS President would also have liked athletics para competitions to be held in the Munich Olympic Stadium.
“The fascination of parasports could have been perfectly accommodated there,” said Beucher. “People simply said: It doesn’t fit in there!”
Beucher also promoted Germany’s future application for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. “Anyone who doesn’t use such attractive sporting events with such spectator response to set a process in motion, also to bring these games to Germany, has not understood what opportunities this also offers for sport,” he said.