“Sport should be fun and make people want to perform. It keeps you healthy, imparts values and gives our society the cohesion it needs,” says the between the CDU/CSU and SPD. “That’s why we want to strengthen it with targeted measures – at the top and across the board. We are firmly opposed to , manipulation and all forms of violence and abuse.”
But, in concrete terms?
Minister of State for Sport
The CDU/CSU has incorporated their demands about sport into the coalition agreement. At the press conference on Wednesday, the likely next specifically emphasized that there would be a Minister of State for Sport and Volunteering in the future. This brings sport into the Chancellor’s Office, the control center of the federal government, which should . Until now, sport was assigned to the Federal Ministry of the Interior. The inclusion of sport as a state objective in the Basic Law, which the SPD had sought, did not find its way into the coalition agreement.
Bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games
“We strongly support a German bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Games,” declared the CDU/CSU and SPD. The future governing parties had already agreed on this before the Bundestag elections.
It remains to be seen which Games Germany will bid for. According to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), it wants to decide by the end of September 2026 at the latest. Bids for the are being considered.
Promotion of top-level sport
The future governing parties remain rather vague on this point.
“We will make funding more efficient, more flexible and less bureaucratic,” the coalition agreement reads. Top-level sport is to be managed “effectively and in a success-oriented manner.”
“The internationally successful sports groups of the Bundeswehr, federal police and customs will serve as a model and are to be expanded,” the CDU/CSU and SPD added. Coaches are to be better paid in future and bonuses for medals won are to be tax-free.
A billion euros incoming
The future government promises to make at least one billion euros available to renovate and modernize the dilapidated sports facilities in many places across the country.
“We want to improve the swimming ability of people in our country. That is why, in addition to sports halls, we will primarily be funding swimming pools – including mobile swimming containers,” explain the CDU/CSU and SPD. Currently, around .
Promoting women’s sport, preventing violence
In their own words, the future governing parties want to make women’s sport more visible. Maternity protection is also to be enshrined for female athletes. Sport must also be able to be practiced “free from harassment, and abuse.”
That is why the plan to establish a “” remains in place. The federal program against extremism and in sport will also be continued. The two parties did not comment on the controversial issue of in women’s competitions.
E-sports becomes non-profit
The CDU/CSU and SPD are taking the growing success of into account and are granting it charitable status. This also opens up tax benefits for . According to estimates by the national umbrella organization ESBD, around three million, mainly young people, and there are around 250 clubs.
This article was translated from the German original.
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