2010 Winter Olympics: Germany Concedes Gold Medal Race to Canada

BERLIN, Germany–At 5:35 PM Saturday, Pacific Standard Time, Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund President Thomas Bach sent a letter and a phone call to Canadian Olympic Committee President Michael Chambers.

"Earlier this week, the Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund conceded the medal race to the United States Olympic Committee and congratulated their athletes for their performance at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games," Bach said. "Today would like to officially concede the gold medal race to the host Canadians  and congratulate their athletes on exemplifying the Olympic Spirit of sportsmanship and fair play.

"This is a Canadian side who made the initiative to dominate the podium, and they did not disappoint. We were unable to dominate the medals and earn the most golds. However, Germany should hold its head up high for a strong performance at these Winter Olympics. We will regroup and improve on our performance in Sochi in four years' time."

"The Canadian Olympic Committee accepts the message of conceding the race," said Chambers on Saturday evening. "Of course, given the weekend's success by our teams in speed skating and curling, among others, the gold medal race was no longer in question.

"It has been our goal to dominate at these Olympics because they are, after all, held on our soil. But my perspective is that this fits into the bigger picture.

"As David Foster wrote in his song 'Can't You Feel It,' it's not whether you win that counts, but only how you play the game. Canada salutes its silver and bronze-medal winning athletes for their accomplishments at these Games.

"We are confident that this will be the foundation of a string of outstanding performances by our country at these Winter Olympics. Plans are now underway for preparing a campaign to 'own the podium' in 2014 at Sochi.

"The ball is rolling, and we are at the crossroads."

By the conventions of the International Olympic Committee, Canada will finish on top of the medal standings with 13 gold medals, seven silver medals, and five bronze medals with one additional medal to be disputed in men's hockey this afternoon.