POSTED: Monday May 30th 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SPORTS ICONS CHAMPION MUNICH 2018

Germany’s national football team backs athlete-focused bid

Munich, 30 May 2011: Germany's national football team reiterated its support for Munich's bid to host the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in 2018 before last night's international friendly with Uruguay, posing with a Munich 2018 banner just before kick-off.

The match, which Germany won 2-1, was the perfect opportunity for more of the country's elite athletes to show their backing for a bid which has the needs and the aspirations of sportsmen and women at its heart.

Thomas Bach, President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation and Munich 2018 Shareholders Board Chairman, commented:

'I am thrilled that Germany's entire sporting community is behind the bid. Munich 2018 has an excellent partnership with the DFB [German Football Association]. The celebration at the 2006 FIFA World Cup shaped the image of Germany very positively. We want to take that celebration to another level in 2018 with a 'Festival of Friendship' to inspire athletes and fans all over the world.'

Katarina Witt, two-time Olympic champion and Munich 2018 Chair, added:

'We've travelled all over the world and we are always asked about the 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany. Everyone I speak to has fond memories of the warm welcome they received and the incredible atmosphere they experienced. So it's great to know that German football is backing us, whether it's individual players and sports ambassadors like Theo Zwanziger and Franz Beckenbauer - who are both on our Board of Trustees - or organisations like the German Football Association, the German Football League and the national team. Munich 2018 is a bid by athletes, for athletes - and our stars appreciate that.'

Oliver Bierhoff, manager of the German national football team, said:

'The 2006 FIFA World Cup showed what kind of passion a huge sporting event in Germany can generate. That's why we all hope that Munich will win its bid to host the Winter Games in 2018. Backing the bid is just a natural step for us.'

Philipp Lahm stressed the importance of putting together an athlete-focused bid. He said:

'I am sure that Munich 2018 has developed the perfect concept, with great benefits to athletes visiting from all around the world. The Munich Olympic Park with the Olympic Stadium would be a perfect site for the Winter Games. I will be very excited if the Games come to Munich - I'm a resident of the city and I know it would be a great opportunity to relive the amazing atmosphere that surrounded the FIFA World Cup in 2006. The bid gets my vote!'

Thomas Müller echoed his teammate's optimism:

'The Olympic and Paralympic Games are one of the biggest and most important sports events in the world - that is why I am backing Munich's bid and want to show my support as a Munich 2018 sports ambassador. With the mountains just on Munich's doorstep we could host a fantastic Winter Games. There'd be an unbelievable atmosphere for athletes and fans of every nationality.'

Photo:

Athletes back athletes' bid: the German national football team (1 MB)
From left to right:
Manuel Neuer, Mario Gomez, Arne Friedrich, Mats Hummels, Toni Kroos, Simon Rolfes
Philipp Lahm, Marcel Schmelzer, André Schürrle, Thomas Müller, Mesut �-zil

Copyright: GES-Sportfoto

Background
Munich, in collaboration with Garmisch-Partenkirchen and Berchtesgadener Land, is applying to host the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games. The application will be put together and managed by Bewerbungsgesellschaft München 2018 GmbH, with Katarina Witt as Chair, Bernhard Schwank as CEO and Jürgen Bühl as Managing Director. Shareholders in the application organisation are the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) with 51 per cent, the City of Munich (30 per cent), the Free State of Bavaria (nine per cent), the market town of Garmisch-Partenkirchen (eight per cent) and the district of Berchtesgadener Land (two per cent). The bid is being supported by national sponsors Adidas, Allianz, the BMW Group, BayWa, Deutsche Bahn, Deutsche Post, Flughafen München GmbH, Lotto Bayern, Deutsche Lufthansa AG, METRO GROUP, and the Sparkasse Finance Group, along with national suppliers ARGE (Albert Speer & Partner and PROPROJEKT), Deloitte, Getty Images, GfK Verein, Hubert Burda Media, IMMO 2018, Messe München GmbH, Norton Rose LLP, Munich Olympic Park, pilot sport and Stadtwerke München GmbH. More information about the concept, the progress of the application and many other aspects can be found at http://www.muenchen2018.org/en.

Bewerbungsgesellschaft München 2018 GmbH
Munich 2018 Bid Committee
Olympiapark München
Spiridon-Louis-Ring 21
80809 München

Responsible for contents:
Bernhard Schwank and Jürgen Bühl

Press Contact:
Simone Seefried
Agnes-Pockels-Bogen 1
80992 München
Telephone: +49 89 540428-317
Mobile: +49 176 840 532 26
E-Mail: presse@muenchen2018.org

Online Press Area:
http://www.muenchen2018.org/en/press

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Keywords · Munich 2018 · IOC · Thomas Bach · Katarina Witt · Oliver Bierhoff · Philipp Lahm · Thomas Muller

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Name: Simone Seefried
Organization: Munich 2018 Bid Committee
Email:
Phone: 4989540428317
URL: http://www.muenchen2018.org

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