Dr. Werner Zedelius, member of the Board of Allianz SE, went to Sochi to show Allianz´ support for the athletes and the International Paralympic Committee (IPC).
What was your impression of Sochi and the Games?
Sochi hosted the biggest Paralympic Winter Games ever. It’s due to the fact that for the Olympics a lot of money – I would personally say rather too much – was put into building all the sites etc. However, the good thing from a Paralympic perspective is that a completely accessible environment was created – the Paralympics were a catalyst for this and hopefully this change will influence people´s mindsets too – even outside of Sochi.
What I particularly enjoyed was the enthusiasm amongst and around the athletes – and the familiar atmosphere.
Which experience would you like to share with Allianz employees?
The most important thing is that everybody can achieve excellence, if they look at their own strengths. There may be difficulties and challenges, but this makes life interesting.
Anna Schaffelhuber, the gold medalist, told me the following a number of times: “The words ‘I cannot do it’ do not exist for me!”
I have learned a lot from hearing the athletes speak about their disabilities: they like to share how they manage their lives and go about all the nitty-gritty daily stuff – all we have to do is to speak with them.
What relevance does the partnership with the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) have for you and for Allianz?
The partnership with the IPC has changed Allianz and our attitude towards those close to us. Together we are learning to be more considerate and attentive towards each other. Our key objective is to support the IPC and the National Paralympic Committees in their mission to enable the athletes to achieve sporting excellence. In many personal meetings, Allianz and our employees experience the remarkable performance achieved by top athletes who are driven by enthusiasm and ambition at first hand.
