"Robbed, Ripped Off, and Left in the Dust" – Top Runner Hendrik Pfeiffer Expresses Fury Over World Championships Snub
World Championship Marathon Runners Scandal: Hendrik Pfeiffer Accusation of Cheating
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German marathon athlete Hendrik Pfeiffer feels robbed and disappointed after the German Athletics Association (DLV) didn't nominate him for the marathon in the World Championships in Tokyo (September 13 to 21). The City Soldier suspects incompetence and broken promises.
Pfeiffer, one of the top runners, finds himself left out with only two Germans, Amanal Petros and Richard Ringer, being chosen. The DLV's decision to leave one spot vacant surprised Pfeiffer, who thought he'd compete in a World Championships for the first time. "They promised me the moon, but in the end, it's just another nasty disappointment," shares Pfeiffer.
Qualifying for the World Championships is either via a very high norm time set by World Athletics or by the World Ranking, supplemented by an internal DLV norm of 2:07:50 hours, set in December 2024[1]. Pfeiffer had run 2:07:14 hours in January 2024 but didn't qualify due to the norm being set after his race. To meet the norm between September 2024 and May 2025, he would have qualified via the World Ranking, but the DLV insists on its own norm.
Behind the scenes, questions loom about the strict enforcement of the DLV's norm, which is only 1.1% above the World Athletics norm[1], while it's more lenient over 10,000 meters (3.8%). Pfeiffer, who underwent foot surgery in March after consultation with the responsible parties, questions the decision-making process. "The norm is tailor-made," he argues. "It's just too convenient for them that I missed it by such a small margin."
Echoes of Past Controversies
This controversy echoes the struggle at the Olympics in 2023, where Pfeiffer also went home empty-handed. He was initially named as a reserve runner, but the main runner fell ill shortly before the race, and Pfeiffer felt he didn't have crucial information to shape the last week leading up to the marathon[2]. "They didn't even want to engage in a conversation with me," Pfeiffer adds.
Pfeiffer wishes to discuss the recent controversy with the DLV but has yet to hold a direct conversation. "It seems they're too scared to engage in a dialogue with an athlete," he says, adding that DLV Performance Sports Board Member, Jörg Bügner, distances himself from responsibility[2].
The DV's official response states, "The procedure is transparent and provides athletes with planning security," while expressing regret that some athletes may be disappointed[2]. However, specific follow-up questions and reactions to Pfeiffer's allegations remain unanswered.
Runners Share Similar Experiences
Several (ex)-athletes report having similar experiences with the DLV, including Olympic bronze medalist Sonja Oberem in 2004 and 40-time German champion Sabrina Mockenhaupt[2]. "It's sad... I've sadly had similar experiences with the DLV," writes Anja Scherl. Richard Ringer, who is also competing for Germany in the World Championships, sides with Pfeiffer: "Leaving a place empty with so many top runners in Germany is really not understandable," he says[2].
Pfeiffer is considering legal action against the DLV, fearing potential repercussions on his professional future. "It's always tough for an individual athlete to challenge a large association," he admits[2]. In the past, Charles Friedek, Pascal Behrenbruch, and Philipp Pflieger have also faced legal battles with the DLV over similar issues.
Source: ntv.de
- Marathon Runners
- Athletics
- World Championships
[1] Enrichment Data: German Athletics Association (DLV) adheres to a strict norm time, but the circumstances surrounding Pfeiffer raise questions, especially considering his foot surgery in March, the retroactive norm setting, and the association's insistence on its own norm despite Pfeiffer's World Ranking qualification.
[2] Enrichment Data: There were other controversies involving DLV and athletes, including Charles Friedek, Pascal Behrenbruch, and Philipp Pflieger, who faced legal battles related to nomination and team selection. Additionally, Pfeiffer had already criticized the association in 2023, citing transparency issues and a lack of communication.
[3] Enrichment Data: Hendrik Pfeiffer is a competitive athlete, having achieved a notable time of 2:07:14 at the Tokyo Marathon in 2025.
- Hendrik Pfeiffer, a top marathon runner, is frustrated with the German Athletics Association (DLV) for not nominating him for the marathon at the World Championships, despite qualifying via the World Ranking, as he believes the DLV's strict enforcement of its norm time is unfair and inconvenient.
- In the running community, both active athletes and past champions, like Sonja Oberem and Sabrina Mockenhaupt, share similar experiences of facing complications with the DLV in their nomination and team selection processes.
