The Chancellery responded with understanding after double‑Olympic champion Max Langenhan declined a phone call from Chancellor Friedrich Merz (CDU). Deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille told the dts news agency on Friday that there was “no reason for an apology” and that it was completely understandable that an Olympic athlete would not be reachable by phone at all times. Hille also expressed optimism that a conversation between the chancellor and the athlete would eventually take place.
According to Langenhan, he received the call shortly after his second triumph in the team competition but did not answer because he did not recognize the number. As a rule he does not answer unknown numbers, he noted. When it later became clear that the call was from the chancellor, he said he felt sorry about the miscommunication.
