A report in the German publication Die Welt has triggered an investigation into the background of Dirk Tharichen, manager of Leipzig’s bid for the 2012 Summer Olympic Games.
The newspaper linked Tharichen to a secret police organization of the old German Democratic Republic and investigations showed that Tharichen was a soldier in the State Security service and served as a border guard.
Tharichen responded by saying that upon completion of his education at the age of 19 he joined the military and was assigned to guarding the barracks in Leipzig-Leutzch. He belonged to the regiment from Sept. 1, 1989 to January 31, 1990.
Leipzig’s 2012 supervisory board is to address the issue at a meeting in Dusseldorf on October 18.
Meanwhile, according to a published report, Leipzig’s bid committee is to appoint a new leader at the October 18 meeting. But the report says there is no connection between the investigation and the new appointment. It was always planned that Tharichen would be second-in-command of Leipzig’s bid.
