Sports | Olympics Germany Revives Schools to Turn Out Olympians Return to East German model to restore Olympic glory By Matt Cantor Posted Aug 2, 2008 9:10 AM CDT Copied Germany's volleyball team celebrates after winning the men's volleyball world final qualification tournament for the Beijing Olympics in Duesseldorf, western Germany, Sunday, May 25, 2008. (AP Photo/Rene Tillmann) Concerned over its sixth-place overall finish in the Athens Olympics, Germany is taking steps to centralize its athletic training program in a move reminiscent of the notorious East German training machine, the Wall Street Journal reports. In a country where membership in local sports clubs is the norm for athletes, the government is lavishly funding sport-focused schools offering a solid shot at gold. East Germany’s sporting-school system, associated with ruthless training and steroids, was dropped after the country’s unification. But Germany, which boasts the second-highest number of total gold medals, has seen its Olympic ranking slip over the past few Games. Now, following the lead of countries like Australia and Japan, it is supporting a renaissance of centralized support for sport—without the steroids. Read These Next Rudy Giuliani has 'some healing to do.' Amy Coney Barrett explains her vote to overturn Roe v. Wade. A game of doorbell ditch turns fatal for 11-year-old. Woman fooled by scammer's claim of being stranded in space. Report an error