Olympic balance sheet

ÖOC boss Stoss: “There is still room for improvement”

ÖOC President Karl Stoss is generally satisfied with the Summer Games in Paris.

(Bild: AP ( via APA) Austria Presse Agentur/APA/GEORG HOCHMUTH)

In his general summary of the Summer Games on Sunday, ÖOC President Karl Stoss also looked back on "incredibly impressive Games" as a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). As President of the Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC), he expressed his satisfaction that the red-white-red team had shown what it was made of. "Great! Five Olympic medals, two in gold - which weighs particularly heavily." Nevertheless, there is still room for improvement. 

The Vorarlberg native also highlighted the number of other top ten placings (20) for the 81 athletes in total and the two substitute athletes who were used. "You can definitely be satisfied with that. However, it would have been nice if one or two more top 10 finishes had resulted in a medal." But the Olympic Games are not a concert of wishes, everything has to come together right up to the last moment. "I feel particularly sorry - even just watching - for those who narrowly missed out on a medal."

Anna-Maria and Eirini-Marina Alexandri

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Anna-Maria and Eirini-Marina Alexandri came the closest on Saturday, finishing fourth in the women's synchronized swimming, which resulted in harsh words from the duet against the jury. "I understand that. They gave their all and are outstanding athletes. I can't underline any criticism here," said Stoss, not taking the 26-year-olds to court. "Wherever there are jury decisions, the human factor plays a role." It would be great if the siblings' work was rewarded with a gold medal one day. "Hopefully a gold medal if they persevere."

Focus on team sport
In any case, the ÖOC's performance in Paris did not deviate from the path taken after the medalless London 2012 Games. There were seven medals in Tokyo 2021. "With a bit of luck, it could have been up to ten (in Paris, note). We have five medals, but in my opinion not enough sports." We must now try to hold talks with various federations. My great wish is to also bring team sports to the Olympic Games." For example, Stoss mentioned women's soccer.

"Full speed ahead" is therefore also the motto for the new team sports for Los Angeles 2028, such as flag football, which is probably the most promising. "We only have four years and even less time to qualify. There is time pressure, without a doubt." In some team sports, however, you won't play a major role, as he assumes. "That's why there's no point in investing too much." Instead, you should concentrate on what you can do and what you can do even better.

Other sports also have potential
If you look behind the sporting achievements, it becomes clear again that you should never give up. For example, he mentioned 470 sailor Lara Vadlau, who became a medical student after finishing ninth at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro and has now sailed to Olympic gold with Lukas Mähr. "Or Jessica Pilz, who once again focused all her concentration and strength and won a bronze medal. That's the beauty. Only the Olympics can write these stories," said Stoss about the Tokyo seventh-placed climber.

Jessica Pilz

(Bild: AFP)

The five medals were won in three sports, which shows that there are still opportunities in other sports. The medal-winning sports of sailing, climbing and judo also show "the incredibly great cooperation within the association and the entire team". The 67-year-old emphasized that the cooperation between the ÖOC and these federations is first-class. "They are always oriented towards the world's best. They don't fry in their own juices, but ask where there are better people who can help them get to the top."

Austria House as a great platform
Other national associations could take this as an example. Then they could get closer to the performance of comparable countries such as Hungary, where there is a clear focus on top-class sport and success: "That's how you have to do it in the future if you want to win even more medals," Stoss emphasized. "There is still room for improvement. But overall you have to be satisfied. There were disappointments. But the athletes affected are the most disappointed. But everything has to come together."

Stoss also emphasized the high market shares in the home country among young television viewers, the twelve to 21-year-olds. "That's never happened before and that's actually the great thing, that you can get young people excited not just about computer games, but about actual sports competitions." In addition, the Austria House in the Montsouris Pavilion in Paris was "an excellent platform". There were 4,500 invited guests and more than 15,000 in the open area. "The ten evening events were all full to bursting."

With the international spectacles, it was unfortunately not possible without security precautions, but Stoss congratulated the organizers and the French Olympic Committee regardless. "This is a monster job. These incredible years have borne fruit, for France, for Paris, for the world." We have seen that there is another world, a peaceful one. "Chapeau to the organizers, who have done an incredible job here."