Thomas Bach about Trump, transgender athlete and the role of the Olympics

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at a time when it is sometimes difficult to separate the Olympic Games International Olympic Committees (IOC), a clear message for his successors: the games should be kept away from political arguments. Bach has been steering the IOC for 12 years and has experienced some of the most extraordinary crises during this time - from a global pandemic with two Olympic games without spectators About a State-based doping scandal in Russia up to a change in the IOC into a modern organization. The Olympic Games took place in countries such as Russia, Brazil, South Korea, China and France, while political elections, wars in Europe and the Middle East and tensions took place on the Korean Peninsula.

a commitment to neutrality in sport

While he is preparing for the handover of his tasks, Bach remains firmly convinced of the power of unity and the strict neutrality. He notes that the Olympic Games are currently faced with no “existential challenges or problems”. "Sport has to be politically neutral, otherwise we cannot fulfill our mission to bring the whole world together. In Paris we saw how well it worked," he said in an exclusive interview with cnn sports . Athletes from all 206 National Olympic Committees and the refugee team lived peacefully in the Olympic village.

challenges in the upcoming Olympic Games

Bach's message is put to the test, however, if the Summer Games 2028 in lot Angeles stand at the door. These games experience an increasingly uncertain political and social background in the United States, which are characterized by deep political division. The aggressive political strategies of the Trump-Administration are in the strong contrast to the diplomatic and sending goals of the IOC.

the ambivalence compared to Trump

Despite these challenges, the 71-year-old Bach is confident that President Donald Trump-who was in his first term during the award of the games to Los Angeles-has the best interest in the games in his heart. "I am very confident that President Trump supports the games in LA, because I got to know him as a vehement supporter of Los Angeles's candidacy. You can feel that he loves sports," said Bach. He believes that Los Angeles will show the image of a sports -loving country and that the Americans can live out their passion for the Olympic Games.

political storm about transgender athletes

However,

Trump also shows aggressive interest in sports policy, in particular in the context of participation of Transgender women in Women's sports . This debate is currently an extremely controversial topic in sports. The gender registration rules and the participation of A hotly discussed topic. Trump has issued an executive order that became known as "men from the women's sports", which puts the participation of athletes under pressure.

controversy around Olympic boxer

The controversy around the athletes, including well -known boxers, have led to a dispute between the IOC and Trump. Bach has decided against the attacks, which were triggered by misinformation and clear online insulting the athletes who came from Russia. Khelif and Lin, whose participation in Paris was considered controversial, were repeatedly used as examples in Trump's political debate, which led to a massive increase in transthobia in social media. "They are facts that have to be interpreted and we have to discuss it to understand what the truth is," said Bach.

Bach's experiences with controversy

Bach thought about his difficult relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. Although he initially had a good relationship with Putin during the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi, this was heavily burdened by the subsequent doping affair. "Through these games, many people thought differently about Russia; but the doping scandal was ruined," said Bach. Since the illegal invasion of Ukraine, he sees himself as the goal of Russian propaganda. Despite many speculations, Bach emphasizes that his relationship with Putin had no influence on the decisions of the IOC. "We apply the same principles to all athletes worldwide," says Bach.

Bach sees the future of the Olympic Games and hopes that they can continue to have a positive impact on society, despite the multitude of challenges that lie on the way.