Disciplinary proceedings discontinued
Pechstein has to pay a fine for appearing in uniform
April 15, 2024, 6:34 p.m
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Speed skater Claudia Pechstein gives a speech in a police uniform at a CDU convention. The authorities then initiate legal proceedings. Now it is clear: the five-time Olympic champion will get away with a fine.
According to a media report, the disciplinary proceedings against federal police officer and speed skater Claudia Pechstein for appearing in uniform at a CDU event were discontinued with a fine of 500 euros. The “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” reported that federal police officers are prohibited from giving lectures at political events in uniform, the “Kölner Stadt-Anzeiger” reported on the hiring order. However, Pechstein was given credit for her sporting achievements and the fact that she regretted her breach of duty.
During the hearing, the police chief asserted through her lawyer Christoph Arnold that she was not aware of the uniform ban. As a result, she did not inform her superiors about her appearance in uniform before the CDU event.
Pechstein’s appearance at the CDU’s policy convention in June last year sparked widespread criticism. In addition to the uniform, this was also due to the content of her speech, in which she was actually supposed to talk about strengthening club and school sports. Pechstein also addressed general political issues. For example, she called for faster deportations of rejected asylum seekers and was critical of gender language. Afterwards, CDU leader Friedrich Merz described the speech as “brilliant”.
Pechstein won five Olympic gold medals during her sporting career and was also European and world champion. In the 2021 federal election, she ran for the CDU as a direct candidate in the Berlin constituency of Treptow-Köpenick, but lost there to the former left-wing parliamentary group leader Gregor Gysi.