Erhard Goller has been the only freelance journalist in the world to report on events on and off the national and international MTB race tracks for 20 years. His work has made a significant contribution to the positive development of mountain biking. Now what should not happen has happened: the mouthpiece of the MTB scene has lost its voice. The mountain bike community is standing up for Erhard Goller and wants to help him recover with a fundraising campaign.
On 14 June, Erhard Goller suffered a stroke and a brain haemorrhage. After a week in intensive care, it was established that he had suffered severe aphasia. This means that his speech centre in the brain is severely damaged: he can neither articulate nor read texts, while he is otherwise completely fit - both mentally and physically.
This is the worst-case scenario, especially for a journalist. Erhard is currently in the BDH rehabilitation clinic in Elzach. He has been able to say a few words for a week now. This rehabilitation clinic will be covered by health insurance until 14 August. However, further therapy is essential for Erhard's continued recovery. According to the doctors treating him, he needs specialised therapy to help him learn step by step how to fill letters with meaning and use them correctly.
This is because he has to completely relearn how to speak, read and write. This therapy in a rehabilitation clinic specialising in aphasia must be financed privately if the health insurance company does not provide further support. Rehabilitation is estimated to take at least four months and costs around 10,000 euros per month. The favourite is the University Hospital Aachen, which has an aphasia ward and specialises in such long-term therapies.
Erhard's friends are organising a fundraising campaign to help him and his partner finance their rehab and are hoping for the active support of the mountain bike community. Erhard is very motivated and is considered a model patient at his current rehab clinic.
To the
Donation page "Words for Erhard Goller" can be found here
. Also Donations via Pay-Pal are possible via the e-mail address wordsforerhard@gmail.com.
Erhard Goller: The voice of mountain biking
Erhard has dedicated himself to mountain bike reporting since 2000. He is the only freelance journalist in the world to have travelled to almost all national and international races and reported on the racing action. His clients include various newspapers, dpa and sid, magazines, associations and professional teams. During the rare on-screen presence of mountain bikers, for example at the Olympics, he provided the commentators and journalists of various sports editorial offices with information and assessments of cross-country and marathon sport.
Despite these diverse demands, the 56-year-old reported on events on and off the race track on this blog and was active as co-organiser of the Bundesliga races. He pursued his honorary posts just as seriously and self-critically as his full-time activities. Over the years, he created a publicity for the sport of mountain biking that would not exist without his passion for the sport, his commitment and his lifeblood. The empathy and restraint that Erhard shows everyone is also greatly appreciated by the athletes:
Nino Schurter, 2016 Olympic champion, eight-time world champion: "Erhard Goller is a positive constant in the sport of mountain biking. Very few people know our sport so well. I really appreciate his work, and not just because of his expertise as a journalist. He was always very respectful towards us riders. He always wanted the best for us and the sport. And that's exactly what he achieved with his work."
Jolanda Neff, overall World Cup winner 2018, world champion 2017: "There is no journalist who knows my career as well as Erhard. I've seen him at every single race for ten years. He knows the racing scene like nobody else, treats every rider with the utmost respect and maintains this in his reporting. What he does for the sport of mountain biking is totally irreplaceable - especially in German-speaking countries. There is no one who has this insight and understanding."
Manuel Fumic, multiple German champion: "Erhard is an integral part of the mountain bike community both nationally and internationally thanks to his journalistic work, but above all because of his positive human nature, his commitment and his passion. I have known Erhard for over 20 years and for me he has become a good friend who has accompanied my career from the very beginning. He has given a lot to the sport of mountain biking and I hope that we as the MTB community can now give something back to him and help him to get well again."
Gunn-Rita Dahle-Flesjå, MTB legend: "Erhard did a great job for our sport for sure and I would say he has been the best journalist ever around, getting the good and interesting stories, asking the different questions but never stepping on anyones toes. His smiley face was always a second away and we had many good laughs together during all these years in the same business. Erhard loved the life and all life around him. He did not take a lot of space, more the quiet type, but easy and feel good talking to. I do hope some specialist can help Erhard and get his life back more or less as before. I guess he has many stories still to tell and share with other people"
Elisabeth Brandau, multiple German champion: "Erhard has been with me my whole career and his foresight has also made him a good friend! I hope for him personally that he manages to regain his strength. Without him, our sport would not have become so well publicised and I hope that we can now give him something back to support his recovery!"
