Para-swimmer outraged

“I really almost drowned, Luke Mockridge”

Andreas Ernhofer competed for Austria at the Paralympics for the second time in Paris.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

The inhumane words of comedian Luke Mockridge ("There are people without arms and legs, you throw them in the pool. And whoever drowns last is the winner") simply make Austrian para-swimmer Andreas Ernhofer sad: "I really did almost drown in an accident. They don't even know what nonsense they're talking about."

Ernhofer, who competed for Austria at the Paralympics in Paris for the second time after Tokyo, emphasizes: "These words from Mockridge are inhuman. It has nothing to do with humor. He would have been torn apart in public for this 20 years ago."

Andreas Ernhofer swam for Austria in Paris, but unfortunately missed his main events due to an infection. When he was healthy again, he swam into the top ten twice.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

"Simply embarrassing"
The Lower Austrian also emphasizes: "I am particularly saddened that Luke Mockridge, Nizar Akremi and Shayan Garica tried to market themselves as people in the podcast with this deliberate provocation and use it for monetary purposes. The way they generally conduct themselves is simply embarrassing."

Andreas Ernhofer with cousin and lifesaver Stefan Ernhofer.

(Bild: zVg)

"The probability of winning the lottery is higher"
Andreas Ernhofer's life changed abruptly on August 16, 2014. In a swimming accident at Lake Steinbrunn, the competitive athlete broke three vertebrae in his neck and has been paraplegic ever since: "I took a header into the water from a jetty and suddenly couldn't move my arms and legs." The German-Wagramer explains: "The water wasn't shallow. It was just that the angle when I dived in was so stupid that the water tension led to the accident. The probability of hitting the lottery six is higher."

Anything goes, except my legs. This photo of Andreas Ernhofer, taken by photographer Markus Frühmann, won the Austrian Disabled Sports Association's photo competition in 2022.

(Bild: www.lefti.at)

Cousins pulled Andi out of the water at the last moment
His cousin Stefan Ernhofer and his cousin Gregor Olejak quickly recognized the situation and pulled him out of the water at the last moment. "As it's a natural swimming lake, the water was dark and Gregor only just managed to see the tip of his nose," says Stefan. On the shore, Andi said calmly: "I can't move my legs anymore." Stefan suffered a nervous breakdown. The next day, he visited his cousin in the intensive care unit and was immediately in tears. "You have nothing to apologize for. Thank you for saving me. I could have died," was Andi's reaction.

The 27-year-old emphasizes: "I would never wish Mr. Mockridge, Mr. Akremi or Mr. Garcia to be disabled themselves or their relatives after an accident. They don't even know what nonsense they're talking."

German para-athlete Kristina Vogel commented in detail on Instagram, posting a video (see above) and writing: "I've rarely seen anything as contemptuous of humanity as this! Above all, they are proud of the fact that they edit it, subtitle it, add pictures and then post it online."