Benjamin Karl: "The hate doesn't leave me cold"

Olympic champion Benjamin Karl is staying in parallel snowboard sport - the Lower Austrian announced this news at the beginning of September.

Originally, the 40-year-old had declared his career over at the end of last winter to focus on his cycling career. The Olympic champion's change of heart was not well-received, especially by his ÖSV teammates.

Andreas Prommegger and Alexander Payer expressed criticism of Karl's return, seeing it as a threat to team chemistry.

All about the "serious concerns" of the ÖSV snowboarders >>>

Hate? "I've learned to deal with it"

Not only from his teammates but also on social media, the 40-year-old had to endure a lot of criticism.

"Social media is tough with all the comments that anyone, anonymous or not, can post under something – whether it has anything to do with it or not," Karl now states in an interview with the "Tiroler Tageszeitung".

His statements on the "Mindgames" podcast, when he spoke about the clear division of roles in his household (Read more here >>>), still cause a lot of backlash today.

"I would wish that people could forgive me for some missteps. The shitstorm, the hate, doesn't leave me cold. But I've learned to deal with it," says Karl.

Wife happy about Karl's comeback

His family has adapted well to the chosen path: "It's important that everyone within their family finds a path that leads to a common goal. Over time, people develop, and so do their goals. Then it's important to resynchronize them. And sometimes sparks fly. What makes me happy, however, is that Nina and I always find a common path again. For that, I am also grateful."

How did his wife Nina react to Karl's comeback idea? "She reacted almost relieved that I'm staying with snowboarding."

He is not looking for a fight with his teammates. "I want to contribute to a positive team atmosphere and try to support the younger guys. People like my friend Arvid Auner, for example," says the Lower Austrian.