Matthias Große, president of the German Ice Speed Skating and Short Track Association (DESG), made strong allegations against ARD’s coverage of the association during the Olympic Games, calling some reports “lies.” However, internal DESG documents obtained by ARD reveal discrepancies in Große’s statements, particularly regarding athletes’ financial contributions toward team clothing.
Sportschau, Germany
During a press conference held in Berlin specifically in response to critical ARD reporting, Große denied that athletes were required to pay any portion of the cost for official team clothing. He emphatically stated that no DESG athlete had ever paid a cent for training apparel while he has been president. However, ARD reports never mentioned training clothing, but rather official team apparel.
Contradicting Große’s claims, ARD obtained an email dated October 30, 2025, from DESG’s high-performance sports official Frank Dittrich. The message, addressed to 18 elite speed skaters, stipulated that athletes must contribute 59.90 euros for new team outfits before the season commenced. The email also explained that athletes would receive an invoice and that the equipment would become their property upon payment.
Große had also said during the conference that worn clothing could be purchased by athletes at a discounted price after the season or returned, but the internal email makes no mention of such a policy. The email, copied to several DESG officials including the sport director, treasurer, coaches, and even Claudia Pechstein, who works as a coach at the Inzell training center, suggests that the entire leadership—including Große—was aware of the decision.
Several national team athletes confirmed to ARD that purchasing the new clothing was expected at the start of the season, with no option to return the items afterward. Correspondence shows invoices were issued promptly, with payment due immediately upon receipt. On January 20, 2026, sport director Nadine Seidenglanz reminded athletes to consistently wear official DESG clothing during the World Cup in Inzell, reaffirming the association’s uniform guidelines.
The binding athlete agreement between the DESG and its competitors specifies that the association provides clothing free of charge when financially feasible. This provision appears to conflict with the documented requirement for athlete contributions.
Apart from challenging ARD’s Olympic coverage, Große indirectly criticized speed skater Fridtjof Petzold, who spoke openly about structural issues within the DESG following the Milan Olympic competitions. Shortly after the press conference, the DESG executive board issued a provisional competition ban against Petzold and suspended his national squad membership, placing his athletic career at risk.
It is worth noting that two journalists responsible for the disputed ARD reports, Hajo Seppelt and Jörg Mebus, were denied entry to the DESG press conference and have since been banned from DESG premises as a consequence of their coverage.
