German table tennis star Boll supports Munich's Olympic bid, saying it will ignite German sports enthusiasm

(Deutsche Welle Chinese website) "I can definitely imagine doing publicity (for the Olympic bid) to gain support, especially in China," German table tennis star Boll, who retired last summer, said in an interview with the Munich Messenger.

Markus Söder, the governor of Bavaria where Munich is located, had previously proposed that the seven-time Olympian be the ambassador for Munich's bid for the Olympics.

The 45-year-old Boll said that during the selection stage of Germany's domestic bid for the city, he supported Munich's competitor, the Rhine-Ruhr region centered on Cologne, but he emphasized: "Now that Munich has been selected, we should support this bid. As for the specific role and degree of participation, further discussions are needed." He added that the Olympic Games "have always been of great significance" to him, "Because of this, I fundamentally support hosting the Olympic Games in Germany."

Bol has competed in the Olympics seven times and won two silver medals (2008 and 2021) and two bronze medals (2012 and 2016), all from team events. At the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics, he was the flag bearer for the German delegation at the opening ceremony. He once said: "The magic exuded by the five Olympic rings is really difficult to describe in words." Bol enjoys extremely high popularity, especially in Asia.

In China, a big table tennis country, Bol is almost a household name. In the more than 20 years since he has been active in the table tennis world, he has traveled to China countless times to train, participate in competitions, attend sponsor events, etc. Bol has won countless fans in China for his superb skills and low-key and humble style.

In 2011, Boll and sports journalist Friedhard Teufel co-wrote a book titled "My China - Feeling the Kingdom of Table Tennis", describing his years of training and competition experience in China, and his indissoluble bond with the Chinese and Chinese culture.

It is said that Bol is also the non-Chinese table tennis player who has defeated Chinese players the most times this century.

Interview with Boll: China’s dominance of table tennis is not over

Boll expects it will be a huge boost if the Olympics return to Germany for the first time since Munich in 1972. He said: "Holding the Olympic Games in Germany is of great significance to the German sports community because it will ignite interest and enthusiasm in many sports - sports that are often ignored or left out in daily life."