Gearing Up for Berlin's Olympic Bid: The LSB's Popular Move
Preparing a citizen-led campaign for an Olympic bid by LSB - Preparation underway for an Olympic-backed popular initiative by the LSB group
Ready to cheer for Berlin? The Landessportbund Berlin (LSB), the state sports association, has jumped into action, rallying public support for Berlin's bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games. In an informal gathering, LSB President Thomas Härtel announced the organization would launch a popular initiative, aiming to collect 20,000 signatures within six months to pressure the House of Representatives into addressing the topic of the Olympic bid.
With a substantial pool of 809,000 members, Härtel remains optimistic about gathering the necessary support. The LSB has already shown interest in reviewing this popular initiative, having previewed a rough concept by May 27.
Feeling the Pulse
Iris Spranger, Berlin's Senator for Interior and Sports, was also in attendance. Spranger senses a growing buzz for the Olympic bid, hoping to witness this enthusiasm transcend sports clubs, associations, businesses, and other agile societal organizations.
Berlin isn't the only one with ambitions—Munich, Hamburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia along with the Rhine and Ruhr region are also in the running.
A Difficult Choice Awaits
Thomas Weikert, President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation, commended the rough concept while acknowledging a challenging position. Weikert stated that all four candidates—Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, and North Rhine-Westphalia—presented strong bids, and a yet-unannounced committee will select the strongest candidate by autumn 2026. The final decision, however, still requires approval from the DOSB members.
The choice of the Olympic year—2036, 2040, or 2044—remains undecided, as the LSB waits for the right moment to officially put their bid on the table.
Opposing Views Emerge
Not everyone's on board with Berlin's Olympic dream. An opposing group, "NOlympia Berlin," is planning a citizens' initiative aiming to prevent the Games from landing in Berlin altogether.
As preparations continue, the countdown to Berlin's potential Olympic future is on. Stay tuned for updates on this thrilling journey!
[1] The proposed popular initiative seeks to provide the public an opportunity to voice their opinions on Berlin's Olympic bid, indicating a shift towards engaging citizens more profoundly in significant decisions [2].
[2] The LSB has not set a firm timeline for the bid, expressing their intentions to continue working towards a suitable opportunity to present their proposal [2].
[3] As part of the preliminary stage, Berlin is expected to submit a preliminary Olympic bid concept by May's end, demonstrating ongoing dedication and preparations for a probable campaign [3]. However, as of yet, the actual launch of a comprehensive bid has not taken place, and the specific Olympics year (2036, 2040, or 2044) is still up for consideration [2][3].
- The proposed popular initiative by the Landessportbund Berlin (LSB) aims to give the community an opportunity to express their opinions on Berlin's Olympic bid, signaling a move towards involving citizens more deeply in significant decisions related to sports and community policy.
- The LSB has not established a definitive timeline for the Olympic bid, with a focus on continuing efforts to find a suitable moment to formally present their proposal, which may include deliberation over various sports, employment, and community policies.
