No Olympic Games, possibly a ruling mayor from the left - is there a change in sports policy now? Berlin sport faces an uncertain future. With the capital's withdrawal from the race for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, a major sporting project is history. But the costly problems of Berlin sports remain. What priorities would a state government possibly led by the left set?
Dilapidated sports halls, swimming pools in need of renovation and a lack of training space are causing problems for the clubs. At the same time, two major infrastructure projects are on the agenda: the planned renovation of the Friedrich-Ludwig-Jahn-Sportpark and a possible new stadium for Hertha BSC.
“We have reached a high level of agreement with her (election winner Elif Eralp) when it comes to sports funding, activities and developments in Berlin - but not the Olympics,” said state sports association President Thomas Härtel before the “Süddeutsche Zeitung” withdrew. A fundamental change of course does not seem inevitable. An overview:
Jahn-Sportpark: “Inclusive facility for popular sports”
The Jahn Sports Park remains a central project. In the election program, the Left calls for a revision of the current new building plans and a more cost-effective stadium. “Our clear focus is on the development of the sports park as an inclusive facility for popular sports that enables people with disabilities and impairments to participate fully,” writes the party.
In addition to a stadium with around 20,000 seats, a new sports hall, a meeting center for associations and numerous playing fields for various sports are planned for the area in Prenzlauer Berg. SPD Construction Senator Christian Gaebler put the total costs at 263.4 million euros. According to dpa information, however, the Left favors significantly cheaper concepts between 40 and 100 million euros.
Waiting to inspect files on the new Hertha Stadium
After years of discussions, Hertha BSC had recently taken a decisive step closer to its dream of having its own stadium. At the beginning of September, a commission of experts declared the property on Jesse-Owens-Allee in the Olympic Park to be fundamentally suitable. She recommended that the second division club submit a preliminary building request for the planned arena with around 50,000 seats. However, this does not yet require a building permit. The stadium will be completely privately financed.
After government candidate Eralp's full-throated "Done" press conference, some Hertha supporters online had already buried their dream of the new stadium. Although the Left had already spoken out against an additional new stadium in the Olympic Park in 2021, a new building or a rejection of the project was not integrated into the election program.
“We have sent repeated requests to the Senate Administration to inspect files, but have received no response,” said Claudia Engelmann, sports policy spokeswoman for the Left, to the German Press Agency. Without appropriate information, the topic did not appear in the program. If there is a change of government, the parameters would first be checked and discussions would be held with everyone involved. Engelmann emphasized that it cannot be ruled out that the new stadium could be embedded in the new coalition agreement - as was the case with the black-red government.
School and popular sports: “Decade of investments”
The previous Senate viewed the Olympics as an opportunity to combine sports promotion and urban development. “There was already a jolt from the application. In the coming years, 600 million euros will be invested in the Berlin pools so that children can learn to swim," Härtel told the dpa before the Olympic withdrawal.
The Left's election program states that they want to gradually introduce daily exercise times and additional sports activities throughout the day and strengthen cooperation between schools and sports clubs. “At the same time, we are investing more heavily in the renovation and construction of sports facilities as well as in the training and hiring of additional sports teachers.” The election program promises a “decade of investment” in popular sport. A central construction department for sports facility construction should then be set up.
In addition, a fund will be set up with the state sports association that will invest directly in the grassroots of popular sports, in particular to secure staff and maintain the infrastructure.
The sports forum as the “heart of Berlin’s competitive sports”?
While the Olympic Park should be available to all Berliners for club and recreational sports, the Hohenschönhausen Sports Forum will be sustainably expanded into the “heart of Berlin’s competitive sports” according to the parliamentary group’s plans. The dilapidated site is intended to grow into a “European model campus” that guarantees “top-class sport at world level”.
The transition from competitive to neighborhood sports should be made transparent. Even according to the ideas of the left, popular sport forms the foundation for top-class sport and brings people together.
