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Neo-Nazi ties spark departure

August 3, 2012

Nadja Drygalla, a member of the German Olympic rowing team, left London after her right-wing connections surfaced. This is not the first time she has been connected to a neo-Nazi group.

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ARCHIV - Die deutsche Ruderin Nadja Drygalla, aufgenommen am 18.09.2011 bei der Ruder-EM im bulgarischen Plovdiv. Die Ruderin Nadja Drygalla hat am Donnerstag (02.08.2012) das Olympische Dorf in London verlassen. Dies teilte der Deutsche Olympische Sportbund (DOSB) in der Nacht zum Freitag mit. Foto: EPA/VASSIL DONEV dpa
Nadja DrygallaImage: picture-alliance/dpa

German rower Nadja Drygalla left the Olympic village Thursday night after talks with Olympic officials about fresh allegations linking her with the neo-Nazi scene.

Michael Vesper, director general of the German Olympic Sports Federation (DOSB), confirmed Friday that he had confronted Drygalla over media reports that she harbored sympathies for the political far right.

Drygalla allegedly maintains a romantic relationship with a right wing radical, who was a candidate for the far right National Democratic Party, the NPD, in last year's state elections in Germany's northeastern state of Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania.

"She explained things from her side. I explained to her the problems this caused," said Vesper, who discussed the issue at length with the rower on Thursday before the 23-year-old left the village.

Drygalla distanced herself from the right wing views of the man she is associated with but Vesper added that he wanted to be certain of her position regarding basic democratic principles.

The conversation reaffirmed Drygalla was credible and that she was committed to the values ​​of the Olympic Charter, he said.

"Ms. Drygalla explained at the end of our conversation that she will leave the Olympic Village, to avoid creating a strain for the Olympic team," said Vesper.

Drygalla is no stranger to being connected to the right wing. In March 2011, allegations of a connection to a different neo-Nazi from Rostock prompted her to resign from the Mecklenburg-Western Pomeranian police force.

Germany's, from right, Laura Schwensen, Costanze Siering, Kathrin Marchand, Nadja Drygalla, Ulrike Sennewald, Katrin Thiem, Daniela Schultze, Julia Lepke, and Ronja Schett prior to the start of women's rowing eight repechage in Eton Dorney, near Windsor, England, at the 2012 Summer Olympics, Tuesday, July 31, 2012. They finished last and failed to qualify to the final. (Foto:Armando Franca/AP/dapd)
Germany's olympic women's rowing teamImage: AP

By then, Drygalla was a member of the police sports group. Photos of her with right wing extremists have also been circulated on the internet. Drygalla has so far refused to comment on her departure from London.

hc/rg (Reuters, dpa)