Paul Biedermann has responded with incomprehension about the manner how the German Swimming Federation (DSV) has separated from his long-time coach Frank Embacher, according to a report by spox.com. Paul Biedermann is quoted: “The manner, the German Swimming Federation (DSV) has seperated from Mr Embacher, was not fair and is inexcusable. That is no way to treat someone who has achieved so much in so many years as a coach.”
Even if Paul Biedermann retired from competitive swimming after the Rio Olympic Games, he is further involved in the sport, he talks with the DSV, asks about situations and tries to achieve changes: “But at the end the German Olympic Sports Federation and the DSV make the decisions.” said Biedermann. The 2009 World Champion and world record holder would like to study sports sciences to expand his knowledge.
Coach Frank Embacher led Paul Biedermann to two World Championship titles and world records and many international medals at European Championships and countless German national medals. The German publication Mitteldeutsche Zeitung reported that the German Swimming Federation (DSV) hasn’t renewed the contract with one of Germany’s most successful coaches.
Embacher’s 4-year contract expired on December 31st, 2016. Because of new elections of the DSV committee, many coaches employed by the DSV were uncertain about the extension of their contracts until end of December. Embacher was surprised by his resignation on Christmas day. In advance, there was no personal conversation with the persons in charge of the DSV.
Embacher was the head coach of the German swim Club SV Halle/Saale for 23 years and also led the federal German training base in Halle. Frank Embacher confirmed to the German publication “Mitteldeutsche Zeitung” that he has legal assistance and has filed suit against his former employer, DSV.
The 52-year old Embacher also coached German top swimmers like Daniela Schreiber, Theresa Michalak, Stefan Pohl or Torsten Spanneberg – they won a total of 75 international medals, set five world records and won 87 German national titles.
One of Frank Embacher‘s athletes, Kevin Leithold, who graduated from the University of South Carolina in May 2016, told swimswam that when he travelled to Germany for National Championships and summer breaks, Frank Embacher coached and supported him. Leithold retired from competitive swimming after he finished his studies in Charlotte.
Embacher was his coach from 2008 to 2012. Leithold said that everyone at the training base in Halle/Saale (Germany) was very surprised that Mr. Embachers contract dit not get renewed.
Kevin Leithold can’t imagine a reason why the contract was not extended with Frank Embacher. “Frank Embacher is the most successful German men’s swimming coach of the past century. As a spokesperson of the coaches in the DSV, he always supported his fellow coaches as well as the athletes.”
Leithold added: “In Germany the DSV and the German Sports Association (DOSB) need to give athletes better support structures, so athletes have a chance in the job market even after retiring from competitive sports. This implies to create programs that make it possible to combine job training and university studies with athletic programs. Other nations show that it is possible, we (in Germany) just have to find a way to implement these structures into our broken system and we need talented coaches such as Frank Embacher to just do that. “
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Is The Money a factor? DSV downsizing?
Yes, German swimming will get 7% less money in 2017 and 25% less in the following years than in 2016… there is a new concept called potential analysis – that will be the scale in the future for the amount of money German sports will get. I will explain this in a report later this week.