Olympics in Hamburg: Controversy and support in Eimsbüttel!

Olympics in Hamburg: Controversy and support in Eimsbüttel!

Eimsbüttel, Deutschland - The Olympic acquisition of Hamburg causes lively discussions in the district meeting Eimsbüttel. At a meeting on July 17, a majority of Greens, SPD and FDP voted for an application that promotes active participation in Hamburg 2026 planning. In contrast to this, the left -wing fraction vehemently rejects the project and relies on the criticism that was already expressed in the 2015 referendum. At that time, the Hamburg citizens had rejected an application for the Olympic Games.

The requested application provides, among other things, to propose the tennis facility on the Rothenbaum as the venue for the Olympic Games. In addition, the district office is intended to integrate local sports clubs into the process by launching information events and project funding. An additional review of the availability of public locations for "public viewing" is also on the agenda, whereby the ideas are to be coordinated with the Inclusion Advisory Board Eimsbüttel. The left faction, on the other hand, criticizes that the reasons for an Olympic application are still valid and calls for the expansion of mass 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. Together, a concept was submitted to the German Olympic Sports Association (DOSB), which brings the expiry of 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 are adapted to the needs of the city. In Hamburg, 38 sports disciplines and in Kiel three (sailing, handball, rugby) are to be held.

A newly planned stadium in the Volkspark should also 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 children reliable school lessons in physical education - up to five hours a week should be guaranteed in the future.

contradictions and alternatives

Despite the official advance, there are also violent resistors at the local level. Heike Sudmann from the left -wing faction expresses concerns about possible debts in billions of billions that could bring the Olympic Games for the city. At the same time, the "Nolympia" mobilization initiative started, including a vigil and a football tournament, in which participants formed a human chain with the word "Nolympia" to draw attention to their concerns.

The city of Hamburg has time until the end of June 2026 to clarify acceptance for the Olympic Games by referendum. In the meantime, the public debate continues and impressively shows how split the opinions on the Olympic application are still.