German Charges At Peace As Final Squad Confirmed
2008-07-24
Craig Lord
Team of 26 heads to Beijing after Syria sends approval for El-Masri to switch to the country of his birth, Conrad addition is confirmed and Bernhardt drops her claim to a berth

Unsettled times are over for a German swim team that has lived through uncertainty since trials back in spring, concerns including former Syrian Rafed El-Masri's bid to race for Germany, Lars Conrad's place in doubt for a while and Vipa Bernhardt's legal challenge to Anne Poleska's right to race in Beijing.

Syria has sent its approval for El-Masri to switch to the country of his birth, Conrad has been confirmed as a team member and Bernhardt has dropped her claim, leaving the following squad in place:

Women (15): Antje Buschschulte (SC Magdeburg), Petra Dallmann (SV Nikar Heidelberg), Jaana Ehmcke (Potsdamer SV), Meike Freitag (SG Frankfurt), Daniela Götz (SSG 81 Erlangen), Nicole Hetzer (SV Wacker Burghausen), Annika Lurz (SV Würzburg 05), Sarah Poewe, Daniela Samulski (beide SG Bayer Wuppertal/ Uerdingen/Dormagen), Anne Poleska (SG Krefeld), Katharina Schiller, Christin Zenner (beide VfVHildesheim), Sonja Schöber (SG Dortmund), Britta Steffen (SG Neukölln Berlin), Lisa Vitting (SG Mülheim/Ruhr).

Men (11): Paul Biedermann (SV Halle/Saale), Lars Conrad, Jens Schreiber (beide Wfr. 98 Hannover), Markus Deibler, Steffen Deibler (beide TG Biberach), Stefan Herbst (SSV Leutzsch), Christian Kubusch (SC Magdeburg), Rafed El-Masri, Benjamin Starke (beide SG Neukölln), Helge Meeuw (SG Frankfurt), Thomas Rupprath (SC Empor Rostock 2000).

Open water: Angela Maurer (SG EWR Rheinhessen-Mainz), Thomas Lurz (SV Würzburg 05).

Many thanks to PPS Cosmos for the information.