The Swiss Bobsleigh Association releases the helmsmen

Clemens Bracher returns from bobsleigh at the age of 31 years. (Photo: Jorge Silva / Reuters)

"I shed tears," says Clemens Bracher, "but it's a mental health decision." On Monday, Emmentaler, 31, announced his resignation from bob dam tim. He runs the risk of continuing to travel as a high-level athlete.

After a "life of subsistence", as Bracher calls it, he gives in to the financial pressure on the head of a bobsleigh team in Switzerland. He had calculated that he should raise at least 264,000 francs for each season until the 2022 Olympics in Beijing, he wanted to climb to the top of the world. For the coming season, however, only 215,000 francs have come together so far – this would not be enough for its high goals.

Bracher feared the disadvantages in the materials sector. The disappointing result at the Pyeongchang Winter Games with the two-man bob (16th place), it also brings back to the fact that it was due to lack of money too few riders selection was available. Bracher does not believe the outlook has improved dramatically.

Bracher was strengthened in his decision to resign by the fact that he lost the best putter in the spring. Michael Kuonen wants to try his luck as a helmsman and for Bracher, there is no equivalent alternative

The Swiss Sliding Association faces the situation where his three best Bob handlebars have all resigned last season. Beat Hefti and Rico Peter also stopped. Thus, the Swiss bobsleigh sports years of lean cows, after the youth work has long been neglected. Such a big hole in the team has not existed for decades. Bracher was supposed to fill the void. In December, he came out of nowhere at the top. In Winterberg, he first flew a two-man bob in the World Cup – and won immediately. A week later, he won the European silver medal in Innsbruck

But there are now other athletes on which Swiss Sliding has to count. One of the hopes is Michael Vogt. But he is only 20 years old and has not used the World Cup yet. It will take just as much time to develop as these Swiss bobsleighs who are now moving from pusher to helmsman status.