Gearing Up for Berlin's Olympic Bid: Where Things Stand
Preparation Underway for a Public Initiative on the Olympics Bid by LSB - Organization Planning Citizen-Led Initiative for the Olympics
Get ready, Berliners! The Berlin Sports Federation (LSB) is rallying the population's support for our city's Olympic bid. "We're launching a popular initiative due to constitutional reasons preventing the Senate from initiating a citizens' initiative," LSB President Thomas Härtel shared during the association's summer gathering at the Manfred von Richthofen House.
The LSB has a tough but achievable task ahead. Within six months, they need to collect 20,000 signatures to bring the Olympic bid discussion to the House of Representatives. With over 809,000 members, Härtel is confident that securing the necessary signatures won't be a roadblock.
A wave of enthusiasm for the Olympic bid is already being felt by Interior and Sports Senator Iris Spranger, who hopes this excitement will seep into sports clubs, associations, the economy, and various social organizations.
Berlin isn't the only city in the running for the Olympic and Paralympic Games, though. Alongside Berlin, also in the running are Munich, Hamburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia with the Rhine and Ruhr region.
Thomas Weikert, the President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), found himself in a tricky spot at the gathering due to his neutral stance. After praising Berlin's rough concept, Weikert acknowledged the efforts of the other candidates, stating, "We have four impressive bids. A selection committee will ultimately choose a strong contender from them."
The final DOSB decision on Germany's candidate is expected by autumn 2026, and will need the approval of DOSB members. The target years for the bid are still undecided, whether it's 2036, 2040, or 2044.
Still, not everyone's on board with the idea of the Olympics in Berlin. In addition to the LSB's popular initiative, critics are preparing a citizens' initiative called "NOlympia Berlin" to prevent the Games from coming to our city.
A Closer Look:
As the competition heats up among German cities, it's worth noting the unique aspects of Berlin's bid:
- Bid Name: "Berlin+"
- Partners: Berlin collaborates with Brandenburg, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Sachsen, and Schleswig-Holstein.
- Target Years: The bid is aiming for the Summer Olympics in either 2036, 2040, or 2044.
- Facilities: Venues include sailing in Kiel or Warnemünde, canoeing and rowing in Brandenburg, and various sports in Leipzig.
- Decision Timeline: The German bid decision is expected by autumn 2026, pending approval from the DOSB.
The LSB President Thomas Härtel aims to engage sports clubs, associations, and various social organizations to foster enthusiasm for Berlin's Olympic bid, with the possibility of sports events taking place in cities like Leipzig.
Should Berlin's Olympic bid be successful, various sports facilities in cities such as Kiel, Warnemünde, Brandenburg, and Leipzig could be utilized for sailing, canoeing, rowing, and other sporting events.
