Christian Kukuk clarifies his perspective on Checker's withdrawal from the Olympic squad
Statement by Christian Kukuk on Leaving the Team
from Dominique Wehrmann 
Christian Kukuk and Checker
Photo: toffi-images.de The day before yesterday, the FN announced that Christian Kukuk had withdrawn Checker from the Olympic squad. No reason was given. Since there was a lot of speculation on social media that the withdrawal might be related to Kukuk not being named a starter for the World Championship team, Kukuk has now spoken out himself in an Instagram Story to set the record straight regarding the “somewhat unclear impression” that the press release left, in his view.
According to Kukuk, the actual facts are completely different. He claims that even before the World Championships, he had a conversation with national team coach Otto Becker in which they discussed removing Checker from the roster after the championships. Aachen “in all likelihood” would have been his last championship. “The 2027 European Championships were never even on the table, and the 2028 Olympics are still a long way off,” said Kukuk.
“Checker’s well-being and longevity are always our top priority, and his best interests always take precedence over the sport itself. Should Checker—who would be 18 years old in 2028—no longer perform at the same level as in recent years, his withdrawal does not in any way rule out the possibility of him competing in the Olympic Games—just as his participation would not have been guaranteed had I remained part of the team.”
But then why did he change anything about the status quo in the first place? Kukuk says the following about this:
“Above all, this change gives me the opportunity to tailor Checker’s tournament schedule much more individually and flexibly in the meantime—always keeping his well-being in mind—while at the same time focusing more on my young horses, such as Akarad, Viki van Gogh, and Carrera, so that they, too, will one day have the chance to follow in Checker’s footsteps.”
He emphatically states:
“This move was in no way a reaction to the recent nomination decisions, as portrayed in the media; the decision was made on an entirely different timeline. Checker’s management was the sole reason behind it—nothing more and nothing less.”
