Sport Minister Christiane Schenderlein (CDU) has denied reports that Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) has vetoed the planned Sports Support Act. “I wouldn’t say it’s a veto” she told RTL and ntv, adding that there is still “some clarification needed at various points”.
The legislation aims to restructure elite sports funding, proposing an independent sports agency that would make grant decisions. Schenderlein described this as a “paradigm shift” insisting that ultimately the bill will be a strong piece of legislation.
She noted that the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB) has been involved in extensive discussions, and that there are “good talks” with the relevant ministries. In defending the new framework, she pointed to the medal tally as a metric for success in performance sport and said that future funding will be entrusted to specialists. “We are putting the support in the hands of experts” she stressed.
At the same time, Schenderlein emphasised the state’s role in oversight, reminding that taxpayer money must be used properly.