An Olympian has been sent home after expressing her frustration publicly about not being allowed to compete in a relay event with her boyfriend.
Yes, another athlete at the 2024 Paris Olympics has been sent packing.
Similar to Brazilian swimmer Ana Carolina Vieira, Germany’s Luna Bulmahn was removed from her team due to a conflict involving her partner.
The situation arose when the DLV (Germany’s Athletics Association) made a surprising decision to drop Bulmahn, their second-fastest female 400-meter athlete, from the 4x400m mixed relay team.
Her boyfriend Jean Paul Bredau was informed he would be competing in the race without her, prompting the pair to express their anger over the decision to replace Bulmahn with a slightly slower athlete, Alica Schmidt.
Upset by the decision to exclude her, Bulmahn took to Instagram to write: “Yes, I am the second fastest 400-meter athlete on paper.
“No, I was not nominated for the mixed relay.”
Her boyfriend Bredau supported her and posted on social media after the race, in which the German mixed team finished seventh in their first-round race.
He wrote: “Not everything went perfectly beforehand. That’s why I didn’t have the energy.
“A few decisions were made that not everyone approved. The DLV made it very clear: the fastest four should run. A different decision was made.”
Bulmahn’s public outburst has now resulted in significant consequences from the higher-ups.
As a result, she has been dropped from the women’s 4×400-meter relay, a severe penalty for an athlete who would have spent three years training for this competition.
Defending their decision to drop Bulmahn, the DLV suggested that her behavior indicated she was not a team player.
Their statement read: “The line-up was made with a view to a successful mixed relay team. The decision was made unanimously by the DLV coaching team and was explained to the athletes.
“Jean Paul Bredau has apologised and will compete in the individual 400m race. Luna Bulmahn will not be used in the relay in Paris.
“Relays are a team sport. The athletes and coaches form this team. Success depends on good teamwork and mutual trust among all.”
While the response is harsh, one must consider Schmidt, the athlete caught up in this situation.
She had just found out she’d be competing on the world’s biggest stage, but there was no support from her camp.
Speaking about the situation, Schmidt said: “There were disagreements beforehand. I have to say, we are a team.
“We should stick together. We should trust what the coaches decide and be mentally ready accordingly.
“Everyone prepares for this for three years. And if you stand here and don’t fully support the relay team – I find that difficult.”