RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Yahoo Sports — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 1 sources
FILE PHOTO - Claudia Pechstein, former speed skater, speaks during a press conference in Berlin. Pechstein, whose nine medals are Germany's most for a Winter Olympian, has been appointed national team coach for the allround speed skating team. (is associated with: «German Olympics great Pechstein could see herself in politics») Sebastian Gollnow/dpa
Germany speed skating allround coach Claudia Pechstein could see herself moving into sports politics.
"I'm really passionate about my new role right now, I'm putting my heart and soul into it. But anyone who knows me knows this: I've never shied away from taking on responsibility," the five-time Olympic champion told the Bild am Sonntag weekly on Sunday when asked if she would be open to serving as commissioner for sports and volunteer work.
She ran for the Bundestag in 2021 as a candidate for the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) but lost as a direct candidate in the Berlin district of Treptow-Köpenick.
The position as commissioner for sports and volunteer work is currently vacant after Christiane Schenderlein had to step down at the end of July, after only 14 months in the newly created post, and moved to serve as a Parliamentary State Secretary at the German Ministry of Health.
At least in the public debate, no specific candidates are currently being mentioned, not even Pechstein's name.
"If the chancellor (Friedrich Merz) is convinced that someone like me can advance German sports on a political level, then I would, of course, be open to such a discussion," Pechstein said.
Pechstein has been serving as Germany speed skating allround coach since August 1, succeeding Alexis Contin.
At this year's Winter Olympics in Milan and Cortina d'Ampezzo, Germany failed to win a medal in the speed skating competitions.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.