Sigi's tips: A village is dying out

There is an episode by Fritz Fischer, the German biathlon legend, that still makes you smile, which is of course not surprising, because Fritz, who sat at my side as a co-commentator for years, is known for his dry humor, his witty wit . The mischief is breathing down his neck. Fischer won the entire Olympic medal set. Bronze in Sarajevo 1984, silver in Calgary four years later and gold finally in Albertville 1992. A victory with the German relay team that will not be forgotten because even back then he was as fast on the shooting range as the best are today. And he remained error-free. This is just a little introduction. He was a latecomer and was already 28 years old when he took part in the Olympic rings for the first time in what was then Yugoslavia. Third place is not the only thing that remains in our memory. He likes to tell the story of how he overcame the security barriers in the back of a taxi in Sarajevo to visit the Alpine girls in the Olympic village. He had promised the visit.

Of course, it was and is not possible to find out from him who exactly he met back then. There has to be so much restraint and of course it is accepted. It was easier in subsequent games. The Olympic Village became the big meeting place. Even condoms were now officially part of the basic equipment and were even distributed by the organizers to the participants of both sexes. Encounters desired. This will soon be over, because the large and often cited great meeting place for the world's youth, the cafeteria in the Olympic Village, is being phased out. In Paris there is once again shared accommodation for around 10.000 athletes and also a restaurant for everyone. But after the competitions at the foot of the Eiffel Tower, the story of the Olympic Village, which even has its own mayor, is slowly coming to an end.

Hotels have priority It's an almost logical development, because the possible medal candidates, the top athletes in sport, no longer see the games as a social highlight. They don't want to meet other athletes from other sports. They want to win. Arrival, competition, departure. It's already difficult to find flag bearers for the opening ceremony and even more difficult to find participants for the closing ceremony. After the competition, everyone usually wants to go home straight away. And those who will only be deployed in the second week will travel according to their schedule. It is primarily those athletes who cannot be so results-oriented, who view the Olympic Games because of their special nature and their history, and who proudly display their national flags on the balcony of their temporary apartment. The big stars have long been staying in the best hotels.

Everything is optimized, nothing should be left to chance. The German riders have now said goodbye to the Olympic Village. The German Olympic Equestrian Committee (DOKR) said the route from the accommodation for everyone to Versailles, where the equestrian competitions take place, was too far. However, you probably want it to be a little more exclusive and classy, which is why the new French headquarters of a large shopping chain (LIDL) was chosen as the location. From Chatenay-Malabry, located southeast of Paris, it is a 40-minute drive. From the Olympic Village in St. Denis you would probably have to allow an hour and a half. At least. Those who can afford it also live individually during the games. Marble instead of laminate. In a year and a half, almost tomorrow, there will probably no longer be an Olympic Village at all.

There was a heated debate about the artificial toboggan run in Cortina d'Ampezzo. © Photo Hermann Sobe / Hermann Sobe Media Service HS

Where should it be for the 2026 Winter Games? The Alpine women compete in Cortina d'Ampezzo, the men compete in Bormio, 306 kilometers away. Travel time in good weather, which is not always a given in winter, is around five and a half hours. More like six, especially since you always have to wait at the toll booths, because it's hard to expect that Olympians will enjoy free travel. In Turin 2006 I always earned a decent amount of money on the journey from San Sicario to figure skating in Turin after the biathlon competitions. Would you like another example? Please. From Milan, the main location of the games, to the biathlon competitions in Antholz, you should also carry a small food package with you in the car. It is 368 kilometers. Travel time between four and a half to five hours. A trip by train would be nice, but it would probably be extremely difficult and lengthy with several changes and possible delays that cannot be ruled out. Rest areas on the highways will become the new Olympic villages.

On the rails in winter And that is just the beginning. Things could get even more extreme if French President Emmanuel Macron's plan, who also wants to have the Winter Games in a few years, comes to fruition. He envisions an “Olympic Road.” From Nice to Albertville. That's a mere 465 kilometers. All of this will be covered by the high-speed train TGV with various stops. After the rest stops in Italy, it's the turn of the train stations in France to replace an Olympic village. But as is usual in sport, training is also very important here. Practice makes the Olympic travel champion. This year's Paris sailing competitions will take place in Marseille. The TGV, which travels to the Mediterranean 22 times a day, takes four hours and two minutes to cover the 660 kilometers (French trains are very punctual). But that's still not the peak of Olympic travel madness. Surfing will take place in Tahiti as part of the 2024 Olympic Games. Distance just 15.700 kilometers. And there is no TGV to the South Pacific.

About the author: Sigi Heinrich The multi-award-winning sports journalist (including winner of the German Television Prize and the Bavarian Sports Prize), author, long-time sports editor of the Süddeutsche Zeitung and Eurosport commentator from the very beginning (1989) dedicates his column “Sigi's Spitze” to the entire diversity of sport. Sometimes with a smile and a wink, sometimes thoughtfully or deliberately provocative. Always with a personal touch. There should be something for everyone.

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Sigi's tips: A village is dying out

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