Slap in the face of a judoka, “camel driver” -sayers, punch against horse – the German trainers cause excitement.
A slapped judoka. A “camel driver” insult. A beaten horse. German coaches caused an Olympic scandal.
It wasn't our neighbors' games. Germany won 37 medals in Tokyo. “Only” ten of them shone in gold. Historically, that is little for a proud summer sports nation like Germany. It is the meager harvest since the fall of the Berlin Wall.
For comparison: five years ago the Germans were still able to celebrate 17 gold medals in Rio.
Instead, the tenth of the medal table appeared with three actions by German coaches. All three made international headlines. At least two of them would have loved to do without it. They even got themselves banned.
First of all, 54-year-old Claudiu Pusa stunned the sports world. He shook the German judoka Martyna Trajdos before her fight, slapped her in front of millions of TV viewers. The outcry on social media was great.
The video of the warm-up ritual went viral. Trajdos rushed to help her coach on Instagram, wrote: “Please don't blame him! I need this before my fights to be awake.”
The German cycling trainer Patrick Moster, however, caused a tangible scandal. He probably didn't realize that TV cameras were aimed at him, microphones captured every word as he cheered on his protégé.
Moser shouted after Niklas Arndt: “Get the camel drivers! Get the camel drivers! Come!” Azzedine Lagab (Algeria) and Amanuel Ghebreigzabhier (Eritrea) started before the German. The racist statements had consequences. The world association banned him.
Moser's reaction: “I was in the catering department and cheered on Nikias Arndt. In the heat of the moment and with the overall burden that we have here at the moment, I made a mistake in my choice of words. I'm so sorry, I can only sincerely apologize I didn't mean to discredit anyone. “
Shortly before the end of the games, the German trainer Kim Raisner was suspended. Annika Schleu fought for gold in the modern pentathlon. The horse drawn for her did not want to cooperate in the show jumping competition, refused several times.
The trainer shouted to her clearly audible: “Hit it right! Hit it”. She hit it herself. With her fist on the animal's backside. The world federation stepped in, banned them for the men's competition the following day.
Both Schleu, who was in tears, and her trainer Raisner received a shit storm on social media. They are accused of cruelty to animals. Schleu has deleted her Instagram profile.
Horse drama: Now the “Hau-drauf” trainer is speaking
