Got carried away

Ralf Rangnick: “This is an absolute disaster”

Soccer team manager Ralf Rangnick was the guest of honor at the fundraising dinner for the “motion4kids” physical activity initiative.(Bild: motion4kids/Paul Gruber)

Ralf Rangnick was the special guest at the fundraising dinner for the “motion4kids” initiative. At the charity event—which raised 100,000 euros to promote physical activity in elementary schools—the soccer team manager spoke passionately, criticizing a serious failure on society’s part and the power of school custodians. And right at the end, he also took a slight jab at the topic of the national stadium.

As a former teacher, education and sports have long been major concerns for Ralf Rangnick. That’s why, despite his painful ankle problems—which require further surgery—he arrived at the “Mirage” event venue in Vienna’s Prater with great enthusiasm. The soccer team manager recounted how he founded his foundation—which has since relocated to Austria—in Leipzig in 2017. An initial assessment revealed that four out of ten children in elementary schools could not ride a bike or swim. As a result, the foundation launched numerous projects to improve this situation.

The Worst Poisons for Children: Sugar and Social Media
In Austria, the foundation currently has three projects underway in schools in Vienna, Salzburg, and Vorarlberg. The 68-year-old German said: “Healthy eating is a very important issue. Sugar is a poison that children can consume. Together with experts, we’re creating a ‘refrigerator compass’ with the children. We hold parent-teacher conferences on this topic for moms and dads. The second pillar is a daily exercise session lasting at least 60 minutes. And equally important is the proper use of smartphones and social media.” For him, these are an even worse poison than sugar.

Ralf Rangnick expressed his views very passionately.(Bild: motion4kids/Paul Gruber)

“Sports must not be a tedious afterthought”
Rangnick continued emotionally: “Children aren’t born overweight, obese, sedentary, or addicted to cell phones. The fact that we as a society allow them to develop in this direction is nothing short of a disaster. We adults must ensure that children have the opportunity to act on their natural urge to move. Sports must no longer be a tedious elective. It must finally become a core academic subject. Five hours of sports a week should become the norm in schools.”

The soccer team manager also briefly touched on the topic of multifunctional arenas.(Bild: motion4kids/Paul Gruber)

“The custodians are often the most powerful people”
On the topic of infrastructure in Austria, the German said: “People always say that Austria has too few sports facilities. But let’s first open up the ones we already have. Here and in Germany, too, the custodians are often the most powerful people. They hold the keys and decide who’s allowed in and out.” It’s completely different in Denmark, for example. Rangnick explains: “Mathias Gidsel, one of the world’s best handball players, once said that over there, the gyms are open day and night. And that was already the case back when Gidsel himself was still a child. And in Norway, too—which excels in all sports—everyone has access to all sports facilities.”

Rangnick’s closing remark: “What we’re still missing is a multifunctional arena. That, too, could have a snowball effect for the entire country.”

“The First Step Toward Our Goal”
Bettina Glatz Kremsner, chair of the board of trustees of “motion4kids,” emphasized after the event: “The fact that so many people from the worlds of politics and business have shown how important more physical activity for children is to them gives me hope. Behind every donation is an elementary school class that will get more exercise every day in the future.” Philip Newald, Executive Director of “motion4kids,” noted: “Daily physical activity for all children in Austria can only be achieved if the private sector joins forces. The evening was a great success and the first step toward our goal.”