Stephanie Müller-Spirra will moderate the ARD players at the Handball World Cup.Image: mdr / mdr
Handball World Cup
There are ten days between the announcement and their use at the Handball World Cup. Stephanie Müller-Spirra will represent ARD presenter Alexander Bommes on Sunday. In the watson interview, the moderator spoke of the mixed feelings that her assignment triggers.
watson: Stephanie, on January 5th it was announced that you would stand in for Alexander Bommes as moderator at the World Handball Championship. Sunday you host your first game. Hence the question: Are exactly ten days enough to prepare for a handball world championship?
Stephanie Müller-Spirra: Internally, I knew it a little earlier. I didn’t have to completely relearn the topic. I also had the Handball World Cup on my radar for other programs that I work for. We also report a lot about SC Magdeburg and SC DHfK Leipzig at MDR.
So you’re already on the subject…
Correct. In October I also made a documentary about the coming out of Leipzig’s Lucas Krzikalla. Of course, a World Cup is something different, but I’m not getting into a sport that I’ve never dealt with. In addition, I have an excellent expert at my side.
Dominik Klein, ex-national player and world champion 2007.
He is Mister “Handball”. I can ask him anything. That’s reassuring. I also have a good friend as a telephone joker (smiles), who was a national handball player for many years.
You represent Alexander Bommes, who had to withdraw for health reasons. What were your first thoughts when you heard that you should go to Poland?
It’s difficult to say because there are two sides of the coin. At first I thought, “okay, obviously Alex is still not well”. I am very sorry about that. It can knock any of us out and you realize how important it is to be healthy and to be able to do your job. On the other hand, it is of course an exciting task for me. But it’s difficult to be really happy.
Now, for many handball fans, there won’t be the duo of Bommes and Klein on Sunday, but Müller-Spirra and Klein. how do you go about it
Replacing Alex Bommes is a huge task – especially in handball. He stood on the record himself as a pro and was like a second expert. Through his experience he knows what is going on in a player during the game. I can’t achieve this level of expertise and I don’t have to.
“The Bommes-Klein duo remains a great duo and I and Dominik just do it a little differently.”
Stephanie Müller-Spirra on the task of replacing Alexander Bommes.
But?
I will look at the tournament from a different perspective, more observing and then squeeze everything out of Dominik. I would like to build up euphoria, especially for people who are perhaps not in the handball hall every week and do not know exactly everything. The Bommes-Klein duo remains a great duo and I and Dominik just do it a little differently.
ARD will broadcast the preliminary round game against Serbia and has two games in the main round. How likely do you rate a fourth mission that would be if the DHB team reached the semi-finals?
I’m always team “confidence” and of course you should approach things realistically. But when is there time for dreams, if not at a World Cup? That’s why I’m optimistic and assume that we will have a German semi-final, live on ARD.
Do you have in mind that a possible final would be shown in the competition on ZDF?
That’s just how it is. Sometimes some broadcast the final, sometimes others. It is more important for me that there is a title for the German team. Or a medal.
When would the Handball World Cup be a success for you?
There are two souls in me. Of course I’m there to follow the progress of the German team. I hope the players’ dreams come true. Philipp Weber or Andreas Wolff also very quietly mention the word “medal”.
What other perspective is there?
It should also go well for the duo Klein and Müller-Spirra. I want to capture the flow of the record and present handball to viewers in an informative and entertaining way.
Stephanie Müller-Spirra not only moderates the Handball World Cup, but is also regularly on duty for the sports show.Image: mdr/Spirra private / mdr/Spirra private
Even before the Handball World Cup, you got around as a moderator and reporter. You reported on the 2018 and 2022 Olympic Games and moderated the Paralympics.
The Olympic Games are always a highlight, and this is especially true for the Paralympics.
Why?
There are many reasons for that, but it was a great honor alone to have been nominated with the entire team for the best sports program 2022 at the German Television Awards.
In addition to your moderation, you also make documentary films. For example, about the already mentioned Lucas Krzikalla with the film “Out of Cover” about his coming out.
These are also important parts of my work and for me personally. I also made a documentary about former track cyclist Kristina Vogel, who became paralyzed after a training accident and is now living a new life. Films like this are important to me.
Why?
On the one hand, because they deal with enormously important social issues. On the other hand, I don’t want to be perceived as just trying to talk a little bit about sports in front of the camera.
“I often have the feeling that I have to prove myself more as a woman and that I’m seen more critically.”
Do you have the feeling that you are often no longer trusted?
I’ve often had the feeling that as a woman I have to prove myself more and that I’m seen more critically. There are just some people who can’t get certain stereotypes out of their heads. But of course I am perceived by many people, athletes, as normal as any male colleague.
What reactions show you that as a woman you are sometimes viewed even more critically?
It occurs through remarks. For example, if my outfit is criticized, although a moderator would never be criticized for it. In the same way, it was once discovered with great surprise that I had studied. But all in all it just keeps getting better.
With the film about Lucas Krzikalla, you also got people talking about national borders. How did it happen that he came out in your documentary?
We’ve both known each other for a long time, have points of contact through sport and often like to go to the same café. I already knew about his homosexuality. It was unspoken yet clear and we had heard that he wanted to make the move to the general public.
What steps then followed?
We had a long talk with him. Open and clear. He agreed very quickly and wanted to talk to us in detail. I think it’s really courageous that he took this step.
How quickly did he dare to speak about it in front of the camera?
It went relatively quickly, although of course it wasn’t after our first coffee together. We met a few times and spent a lot of time together during the shoot, so he had confidence in me. In the end, Lucas felt very comfortable with the film. That was extremely important to us.
Stephanie Müller-Spirra with handball professional Lucas KrzikallaImage: mdr/Spirra private / mdr/Spirra private
The film also addresses his fears of reactions. Do you know how the response was?
If you ask Lucas, he would certainly say it had a happy ending. He got a lot of positive reactions, a lot of encouragement and support. Even in America he was discussed as a competitive athlete who is still active and thus becomes a role model. Unfortunately, there were also stupid comments, but because the positives outweighed so much, he was certainly able to deal with them well.
