Meet the German city acting as a pit stop for Olympic-bound athletes
CHENNAI: Last leg of preparation is like Act IV of a five-act play. You know where the play is heading to but still wait for the climax patiently lest there is a late twist. You know almost all the central characters. Intrigue and plots are slowly getting unravelled as the hero makes that last-grasp plunge for immortality.
Just before any major events, athletes too face a similar predicament. Training is almost over. They know where they stand but still have to prepare for the finish line.
Living in a happy bubble. Last-minute adjustments if required. Getting used to the conditions and getting whatever help to boost confidence and remain positive.
Seeking better training facilities ahead of the 2024 Olympics is one vocation the athletes will never compromise. It's because of this that training centres like Sportcampus, Saar (Germany), have grown in prominence. It ticks almost all boxes. Its proximity to Paris, its similar weather conditions and easy mode of conveyance have made this centre one of the most sought after. The numbers are staggering too.
More than 400 athletes (and support staff) from 27 countries and five continents are training there. There are various reasons for that. The chief operating and marketing officer of the centre, Johannes Kopkow, during a Zoom interaction, spoke about the centre and more. He outlined how they have taken care of the Indian boxers' requirements for a kitchen and a separate dining space. He also spoke about Neeraj, catering to 400 athletes' diet and facilities available at the centre.
"One big advantage is that we have everything in one point. You can sleep, you can eat, you can train, you have doctors, physiotherapists. Another advantage is that we are in Germany, which means everything is organised and will work. And the third thing is that we are one hour 45 minutes (on a high speed train) away from Paris," said Kopkow. Apart from the distance, the city is in the same time and climate zone so it will be easy for athletes to acclimatise after reaching Paris.
Kopkow said that right now he has some 400 athletes training in his facility. "We have in total around 400 guests from 27 different nations and five continents. We have the whole national team of Nigeria with us (except their women's soccer team). We have a big international boxing camp where boxers (across weight categories) from a lot of other nations (including India) are here. That's the biggest camp we have here in one sport. Then we have Olympic medallists PV Sindhu and Neeraj Chopra (until July 7). The table tennis teams from different nations including India are here. We are hosting both the flag-bearers of India," he said.
The COO said that Neeraj is one of the high-profile athletes the campus has hosted after Patrick Franziska, German international table tennis star and some Belgian athletes. The Tokyo Olympics gold medallist was at the centre in 2022 (before the Commonwealth Games which he missed due to injury). "He was the most famous athlete but not the first or last one, but one of the well-known international faces," Kopkow said. "We had Franziska and other Belgian athletes but he (Neeraj) was the first one when we thought we should open the facility for not just national but international athletes as well."
Kopkow spoke about how the centre has given Neeraj an apartment for him and his support staff. He also spoke about Sindhu's tent-like structure in her room where she sleeps (hypoxic chamber) and the bed lying outside.
Elaborating on the cook, the COO said that the Boxing Federation of India had requested for a separate kitchen so that they can prepare their meals.
"They said it would be good to bring a cook so that boxers can have the same food here. So we provided them with a space in the kitchen and another space where they can eat. I tasted the food and it wasn't so spicy. The food was great. This makes it special and gives them the feeling that they are welcome. We provide everything so that they can concentrate on what they are here for."
Providing food to 400 athletes housed on the campus also has its own challenges. The kitchen can provide food to up to 250 people.
Since the demand for food is different for different countries/athletes, they have caterers who handle this. "We have caterers who provide international food. For example, we cannot give beef to Indian athletes. They need chicken or maybe lamb. While others need chicken and beef or steak. We always try to provide according to the athletes' needs. We also have athletes who need halal food. So we have an external caterer, who is taking care of food outside the Sportcampus and we just heat it up here and then we have a big buffet for everybody."
"Similarly, we try to extend the timings for serving food. We have shifts where athletes can come in at different times because we cannot provide food for 400 people at the same time. Food in the morning is from 6am to 9.30am while for lunch, it's from 11.30am to 2.30pm and in the evening, it's from 5.30pm to 8.30pm. Athletes step in, eat and get back to practice," he said, "We still have around 250 people working on the Sportcampus. So for them we have our own cooks and our own big kitchen. Everybody can still eat in the same kitchen plus our external guests from everywhere."
Kopkow said they have a regeneration area with cold tubes, sauna and infrared cabin. "We have a big physiotherapy company called SportsMed. There are around 20 physiotherapists and athletic coaches on their payroll. Former national team doctor of the German soccer men's team, Professor Dr Tim Mayer, is our neighbour (100m from our campus). He has all the contacts for any medical needs. In the first week, I think one of your (Indian) boxers had problems and she needed medical attention. So she went there. We have a support system in Germany, which is one of the best in the world."
As of now, countries like Australia, Philippines, Mongolia, South Africa, Nigeria, United States, Canada, Germany, Finland, Norway, Belgium are training. The facility has gained traction and since it is located centrally in Europe, it might become one of the most sought-after destinations for European competitions.
