“The best for the best”: The role of the Sportklinik Hellersen of the Rhine-Ruhr Olympic bid
Land NRW and Landessportbund NRW presents their bid concept – with the focus on sustainability
The planned temporary athletics stadium will be built in accordance with international standards and will follow a sustainable approach.
Photo: planquadrat Elfers Geskes Krämer GmbH, Architektur und Stadtplanung
After the Olympic Games, the stadium is to be converted into a residential and commercial complex.
Photo: planquadrat Elfers Geskes Krämer GmbH, Architektur und Stadtplanung
Have article read aloud
The Olympic flame burns in the stadium cauldron. 10,000 athletes compete for one of over 900 medals and to win victory for their nation in one of the numerous disciplines. This scenario could play out in Germany in 2036, 2040, or 2044 — more precisely, in North Rhine-Westphalia. Alongside Munich, Berlin, and Hamburg, the Rhein-Ruhr region is one of four national candidates in the running for Germany's upcoming Olympic and Paralympic bid.
In an interview, Stefan Klett, President of Landessportbund NRW and the sponsor of the Sportklinik Hellersen, Sporthilfe NRW e.V., and Michael Scharf, Director of Competitive Sports at LSB NRW, talk about the bid and the advantages that the Rhein-Ruhr region offers for the Olympic and Paralympic Games. An important part of this is the Sportklinik Hellersen, which is not only a DOSB base but also has decades of enormous sports expertise.
Photo: LSB NRW / Bowinkelmann
About the person
Stefan Klett
Stefan Klett has been president of the Landessportbund NRW (LSB) since 2020 and, since 2022, also of Sporthilfe NRW e.V., the organization that runs the Sportklinik Hellersen. Prior to this, he had been vice president of Sporthilfe since 2015 and vice president of finance at LSB NRW since 2008. In addition, he has been a member of the board of trustees of the Landessportbund NRW since 2020. From 2008 to 2019, he was president of the North Rhine-Westphalia Aeroclub and from 2019 to 2022 of the German Aeroclub, the umbrella organization for German air sports enthusiasts. A trained air conditioning technician, his main job is with a large building services company.
Mr. Klett, why is the Rhine-Ruhr region the perfect venue, and what distinguishes the application concept of the Landessportbund NRW (LSB)?
Stefan Klett: There are several reasons why the Rhine-Ruhr region is the perfect venue. One of the most important is certainly that 95 percent of the planned sports facilities already exist in North Rhine-Westphalia. Numerous soccer stadiums and exhibition halls are ready for immediate use. This is particularly important for sustainable Olympic Games. The only thing missing so far is an athletics stadium that meets international standards. But here, too, we have a sustainable approach: a temporary stadium is to be built, which will be converted into a residential and commercial complex at the heart of a new district after the Games. Cologne and Essen are being discussed as possible locations.
Beyond the sustainability aspect, we also have a lot of experience with major events in North Rhine-Westphalia. We have organized 30 European and World Championships in the last ten years alone, and the University Games (2025 FISU World University Games), which took place in several North Rhine-Westphalian cities in July this year, were already a successful and excellent test run for the Olympic Games. More than 8,500 student athletes and officials from over 150 nations took part, and over 10,000 volunteers from 114 countries were actively involved.
“It is a regional bid – that has charm and is definitely a unique selling point.”
Michael Scharf
Director of Competitive Sports at the Landessportbund NRW
Photo: LSB NRW / Bowinkelmann
About the person
Michael Scharf
Michael Scharf has been Director of Competitive Sports at the Landessportbund NRW since 2018. Prior to that, he was Head of the Rhineland Olympic Training Center from 2004 to 2018 and Managing Director of Schwimm- und Sportfreunde Bonn from 1993 to 2004. He graduated from the German Sport University and the Universities of Cologne and Bonn with a degree in sports and psychology.
Michael Scharf can also look back on a remarkable competitive career in modern pentathlon. He won European and World Championship team medals and came ninth at the 1986 World Championships. He was German individual champion in 1987 and German team champion in 1982, 1985, 1986, and 1988.
Are there any other advantages that the region offers?
Michael Scharf: These are already important arguments. However, what sets us apart is that, unlike the other four German applicants, we want to host the Games not as a city, but as a region, with Cologne as the prospective leading city. It is a regional bid – that has charm and is definitely a unique selling point. We benefit from a very strong network in the sports state of North Rhine-Westphalia. Of the more than 30 DOSB sports medicine examination centers in Germany, six are located in North Rhine-Westphalia alone. One of them is the Sportklinik Hellersen.
What added value does hosting the games in North Rhine-Westphalia offer the population and sports clubs?
Stefan Klett: We have received strong political support in North Rhine-Westphalia, and the budget already allocates funds for this purpose. Furthermore, it is important that funding is directed toward the renovation of sports facilities. We are calling for ten percent of the state's share of the federal government's special fund for sport in North Rhine-Westphalia. This corresponds to 175 million euros per year. The Minister President of North Rhine-Westphalia, Hendrik Wüst, has already promised us 50 million euros of the state's share. This is also a major plus for the common good, as our sports clubs are important social meeting places. At the federal level in particular, money must be made available for sports facilities and infrastructure in the coming years, and we are committed to this.
This will also lead to broad acceptance. A recent opinion poll already shows strong support among the population. According to the survey, 70 percent of citizens can well imagine the Games being held in North Rhine-Westphalia.
How many visitors do you expect when the games take place in North Rhine-Westphalia?
Stefan Klett: We can reach 160 million people within a 500-kilometer radius in the Rhine-Ruhr region. This is due in no small part to our central geographical location and the availability of the necessary logistics. According to a recent calculation, we could sell 10 million tickets for the Olympic Games and 2.5 million for the Paralympic Games. This is also an important argument for the IOC (International Olympic Committee), as never before have so many tickets been sold for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.
That is certainly also a nice gesture for the participating athletes. How important is the bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games for the Landessportbund NRW and the athletes?
Michael Scharf: It is important that the athletes are the focus of attention. An important component in this context is close cooperation within the sporting community and good support for athletes and coaches. This is achieved, among other things, through squad examinations and support from sports medicine examination centers. These are also strengthened by the Olympic bid. We, as the Landessportbund NRW, bring together health-related sports, competitive sports, and popular sports under one roof. Sport is an important tool for prevention and will become even more important in the future. Good medical care is essential in all three areas, and for this we rely on facilities such as the Sportklinik Hellersen – especially for sporting events of this magnitude.
Photo: freepik
The LSB NRW
The Landessportbund NRW (LSB NRW) is the umbrella organization for organized, public-interest sports in North Rhine-Westphalia. It has around 5.5 million members in 17,300 clubs, 500,000 of whom are volunteers.
The LSB NRW has a total of 132 member organizations, including 62 umbrella and professional associations, 54 city and district sports associations, and 16 member organizations with special tasks. The LSB NRW is based at the Sportpark Duisburg.
The best for the best
The aforementioned squad examinations take place in the run-up to tournaments. What does medical care actually look like during the Olympic Games?
Michael Scharf: On site, medical care is provided by the association and team doctors as well as by the Medical Center set up in the Olympic Village. Sports-minded doctors are nominated for this center by the Chief Olympic Doctor, Prof. Dr. Bernd Wohlfahrt. Generally, less serious injuries are treated here. The second component is the sports medicine examination centers. In the case of serious injuries such as ruptures and fractures, we rely on good clinics with the appropriate sports expertise.
What role does the Sportklinik Hellersen play in the Olympic Games in Germany?
Michael Scharf: As a DOSB base, the Sportklinik Hellersen is an important point of contact for serious injuries during the tournament. In addition, with the Sportklinik Hellersen, we have a specialist clinic in the area covered by the Landessportbund NRW, which has a high level of sports expertise thanks to its medical services. We are the only state sports federation in Germany that has among its members the supporting association of such a professional medical competence center, including a specialist clinic.
I can only praise the cooperation with the Sportklinik Hellersen as an Olympic base. The exceptionally good care provided is an important prerequisite – it is the only way to meet important standards, such as the treatment or surgery of cruciate ligament ruptures within 24 hours of the accident. We can only urge athletes to make use of this center of excellence in North Rhine-Westphalia. After all, the best athletes need the best doctors – and that is what they will find at the Sportklinik Hellersen.
Photo: LSB NRW / Bowinkelmann
Here are the next steps:
When will it be decided which city or region in Germany will bid for the Olympic and Paralympic Games?
Stefan Klett explains:
The DOSB, as the umbrella organization, is responsible for Germany's bid to host the Games. The DOSB has chosen a three-stage process to decide between the four regions that have already expressed interest. First, by fall 2025, all applicants will undergo a sports-related review to determine whether they are capable of hosting the Olympic and Paralympic Games. Among other things, this will involve the sports facilities and infrastructure. We already presented our application concept, “Powerhouse of True Sports,” for the Rhine-Ruhr region at the end of May. This includes the sports facilities and stakeholders, among other things.
However, the support of the population for the bid remains an important factor. In North Rhine-Westphalia, the population will vote on April 19, 2026. The third step in the process is an extraordinary general meeting of the DOSB, which will decide on the German venue. This is expected to take place in fall 2026. With this decision, Germany will then apply to the IOC to host the international games.
Key data at a glance
20.05.2025
Cabinet decision by the state government of North Rhine-Westphalia to support the Rhine-Ruhr region's bid for the Olympic Games
28.05.2025
Official presentation and submission of the application concept to the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB)
01.07.2025
Presentation of the concept to the Olympic umbrella organizations and the German Disabled Sports Association
Until fall 2025
Sports-related examination of all 4 applicants by the DOSB
19.04.2026
Citizen participation through referendums in North Rhine-Westphalia
September 2026
The DOSB will decide at an extraordinary general meeting which German bid will be submitted internationally.
The “Powerhouse of True Sports” application concept in a nutshell
- Maximum sustainability through use of existing infrastructure
- Social added value through inclusion, popular sports, and promoting excellence
- Integrated planning and broad support from politicians, local authorities, and the general public
- Strong ticket sales and clear logistics thanks to the selection of numerous cities as venue
- Read more about the application concept here (German).
