Olympic gold medalist georg hackl blasts germany's leadership

Georg Hackl, a three-time Olympic gold medalist in luge, has vented his frustration with Germany's political leadership in a scathing interview with the Abendzeitung newspaper.

Germany's lack of foresight criticized

Hackl, who won his medals in the 1980s and 1990s, expressed his disappointment at the country's inability to plan and execute projects efficiently. He pointed out several examples, including the delayed completion of the Berlin airport, the ongoing reconstruction of a bridge in Dresden, and the permanent closure of a train station in Stuttgart.

The former athlete also brought up the case of the Königsee luge track, which was damaged in a flood in 2021 and remains unrepaired despite over five years having passed. Hackl contrasted Germany's slow response with the swift rebuilding of a luge track in Innsbruck, Austria, which is set to be ready for competitions next year.

Hackl's remarks sparked a reaction from fellow luger Felix Loch, who lamented that it took only two years to build a new track for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, while Germany struggles to repair a damaged one.