Sigi's tips: role model Dorothea Wierer

Sigi Heinrich

They hunt us relentlessly. Without mercy or consideration for our sensitive male souls, the Amazons of this world are conquering the last bastions that remain for us, the so-called strong sex. Forty years ago, the women in Switzerland who we so appreciate and love conquered the traditional sport of “Schwingen”, which seemed almost unimaginable. In Bavaria, the girls in dirndls or lederhosen sit across from each other at a table to “finger hook”. Yes, it still works. Is nothing, nothing at all, sacred to them? The answer is simple. No. Women are plowing through the sports world with their elbows out and have now almost reached the goal of absolute equality. Nordic combined women at a World Cup for the first time In Obersdorf, a world champion in Nordic combined was crowned for the first time and of course I must and may be honest enough to admit that this is more than just logical. They have been involved in cross-country skiing for a long time, and there have also been Olympic champions in ski jumping since Sochi (2014), which is why the combination of both sports has inevitably finally reached the sweet femininity. It's not easy for the women, because enormous skepticism accompanies their race to catch up, which is of course mainly due to the fact that the world of sports officials consists almost exclusively of men. As in business, women are almost never in leadership positions in sports associations.

The Nordic combined athletes on their first World Cup appearance in Oberstdorf. © APA / GEORG HOCHMUTH

Now there are a few positions available again. Gianfranco Kasper, the president of the International Ski Federation (FIS), is quitting. Peter Schröcksnadel, head of the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV), is also looking for a successor. No successor. That wouldn't even occur to him or Kasper. There probably wouldn't be a shortage of female candidates, but in the committees that ultimately award these positions - you guessed it - there are only men who just want to keep to themselves, like in the last dusty English clubs. Women's biathlon was initially laughed at I can still remember how biathlon started. The girls were called “shotgun women”. They shoot. With real ammunition. That's just not right. That's how it was. At the 1992 Olympic Games, spectators ran across the cross-country ski trail during the women's races. It was, yes, disrespectful. Fortunately, that has changed massively. Dorothea Wierer shoots better than most men today and faster too. The male fans have long since seen this in a nonjudgmental way, recognize it, and are even happy when Wierer comes to the shooting range because everyone is hoping for one of her quick-fire performances again. So the initial caution gave way to enthusiastic admiration.

One day we will also see women achieve the same distances as men in ski jumping. The girls can't be stopped. You can take part in cliff diving and, of course, conquer the highest peaks in the world. Soon they will also be steering around the corners in a Formula 1 race. And a women's volleyball game is at least as entertaining as a men's volleyball game. Actually, it's even better because there are longer rallies, because the men try, typically of course, to hit the ball around the opponent's ears with force and power. There are even a few women's soccer games that are worth seeing. All of this is a good thing. The limits of equality But there are also limits to equality that I would actually like to maintain. It doesn't have to be the case that we, the men, now also do rhythmic gymnastics and sneak into the women's troupe in synchronized figure skating. We simply don't have the divine gift of grace in our genes. We should please leave this advantage to the ladies. They can simply do it better. And we don't have to fight back with equal weapons. This actually only weakens us and we want to remain the stronger sex.

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Sigi's tips: role model Dorothea Wierer

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