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Olympics in Hamburg: Controversies and support in Eimsbüttel!
Eimsbüttel discusses the Olympic bid: the left faction rejects it, the Greens and the SPD support it. Referendum and local participation in focus.
Olympics in Hamburg: Controversies and support in Eimsbüttel!
Hamburg's Olympic bid is causing lively discussions in the Eimsbüttel district assembly. At a meeting on July 17, a majority of the Greens, SPD and FDP voted for a motion that promotes active participation in Hamburg 2026 planning. In contrast, the left-wing faction vehemently rejects the project and cites the criticism that was already expressed in the 2015 referendum. At that time, the citizens of Hamburg rejected an application for the Olympic Games.
The approved application provides, among other things, to propose the tennis facility at Rothenbaum as a venue for the Olympic Games. The district office should also involve local sports clubs in the process by organizing information events and project funding. An additional review of the availability of public places for “public viewing” is also on the agenda, with the ideas to be coordinated with the Eimsbüttel Inclusion Advisory Board. The left-wing faction, on the other hand, criticizes that the reasons against applying for the Olympics remain valid and calls for the expansion of popular sports and real participation opportunities for young people.
North German perspectives
The Hamburg application is part of a larger plan that also includes Schleswig-Holstein and Berlin. A concept was jointly submitted to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) that would bring the Olympic and Paralympic Summer Games to the north. Schleswig-Holstein's Prime Minister Daniel Günther and Hamburg's SPD Sports Senator Andy Grote confirm that popular sports should also benefit from the Olympic Games. Katharina Fegebank, the second mayor of Hamburg, emphasizes that the games will be adapted to the needs of the city, not the other way around. 38 sports disciplines will be held in Hamburg and three in Kiel (sailing, handball, rugby).
A newly planned stadium in the Volkspark will also be able to be used for other events, such as concerts. The city is also planning an Olympic Village in the newly developed “Science City” in Bahrenfeld. These infrastructural measures could offer Hamburg's children reliable school hours in physical education lessons - up to five hours per week should be guaranteed in the future.
Contradictions and alternatives
Despite the official push, there is also strong resistance at the local level. Heike Sudmann from the Left Party expresses concerns about possible billions in debt that the Olympic Games could bring for the city. In parallel, the “Nolympia” initiative has launched mobilizations, including a vigil and a soccer tournament, where participants formed a human chain with the word “NOLYMPIA” to raise awareness of their concerns.
The city of Hamburg has until the end of June 2026 to clarify acceptance of the Olympic Games via a referendum. Meanwhile, the public debate continues and impressively shows how divided opinions remain regarding the Olympic bid.