Speed ​​skater Fridtjof Petzold has been severely punished for his Olympic criticism of the association and has to fear for the continuation of his career. The Presidium of the German Speed ​​Skating and Short Track Association (DESG) has ordered a temporary ban on the 28-year-old and suspended his status as a national squad athlete with immediate effect.

Both resolutions apply until a “final decision is made by the disciplinary advisory board,” said DESG Vice President Christoph Zepernick.

Until then, Petzold, who is at home in the long distances over 5,000 and 10,000 meters, should not be nominated for competitions. He is threatening the all-around World Championships on the 7th/8th. Miss March in the Netherlands. The disciplinary advisory board is convened by the association president Matthias Große.

“Then someone comes along who doesn’t perform well, who doesn’t follow the rules, stands in front of the camera and makes a mess.”

After his final competition at the Winter Olympics in Italy, Petzold criticized that the DESG had a structural problem and that the support in Milan was not what he would have imagined. Sports director Nadine Seiden Glanz vehemently rejected the latter, as did Große.

“Then someone comes along who doesn’t perform, who doesn’t follow the rules, stands in front of the camera and makes a mess,” the DESG president explained in a press conference on Thursday. In his opinion, Petzold had violated the association’s rules. “He can make statements that are damaging to the association, but internally and not publicly,” explained the 58-year-old. Seidengloss spoke of a “breach of the squad criteria”.

Lack of understanding among “Athletes Germany”

“Athletes Germany” expressed a great lack of understanding of the DESG’s actions. “Athletes must have the opportunity to express criticism of their association without fear of reprisals, especially if internal complaint channels are dysfunctional or subject to conflicts of interest,” it said.

The non-profit association also fears that the athlete will not be treated fairly, as the DESG disciplinary committee includes those people “who are the subject of Fridtjof Petzold’s criticism”. The German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) is expected to do more to protect athletes.