- SPD: Olympic in NRW only goes with different debt rules
SPD opposition leader Jochen Ott has accused Minister President Hendrik Wüst (CDU) of raising unrealistic expectations about the Olympic Games in North Rhine-Westphalia with illusions. "Without a change in the debt brake, there will be no Olympic Games in North Rhine-Westphalia and Germany, because we simply do not have the means to bring the necessary infrastructure up to scratch," said Ott in Düsseldorf.
While other regions are already positioning themselves for a possible bid for the Summer Games in 2040, the state government has already "withdrawn as a serious contender" due to a lack of investments in the necessary infrastructure, Ott criticized. In NRW, numerous swimming pools have been closed due to financial necessity and many sports halls are dilapidated. In many places, children are on long waiting lists and cannot be registered in sports clubs due to a lack of places.
If the Minister President publicly declares that he wants the Olympic Games in NRW, he must invest in infrastructure to catch up with competitors like Berlin and Hamburg, Ott demanded. "Olympia in NRW would be a dream come true. It would be right to bring the Olympic Games here, but those who want that must naturally face reality and set the right course in reality." So far, everything has unfortunately been "informal, time-limited, and fruitless."
Wüst said in a WDR interview this week that NRW already has the large stadiums "for Olympic Games in stock." The state is ready for it.
The SPD's Leader of the Opposition, Jochen Ott, criticizes Minister President Wüst for setting unrealistic expectations about the Olympic Games in North Rhine-Westphalia, as the state lacks the necessary funds to upgrade infrastructure. If Wüst insists on hosting the Olympic Games in NRW, he must invest in infrastructure to match competitor cities like Berlin and Hamburg.
