Germany's reputation abroad has suffered: Bach

Germany reputation has suffered lately in terms of foreign policy, outgoing International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Thomas Bach has said, reported dpa.

"In sport, there were not only violations of the autonomy of sport by the German government, but also various appearances and statements at the (2022 football) World Cup in Qatar," Bach told Tuesday's papers of publishing house Funke.

He said that Germany "did itself no favours in the international public eye, to put it diplomatically."

Bach said last year that the German government did not allow Russian and Belarusian athletes into the country for competitions before the Paris 2024 Games.

Interior Minister Nancy Faeser had dismissed the claim, saying there had never been any entry bans for athletes and that there would be none either.

Qatar was criticised as World Cup host over its human rights record.

Bach told the Funke papers that "you can have hope in the new government" which is in the process of being formed.

German Bach will step down as IOC president after 12 years on June 23. His successor is elected on Thursday at the IOC Session in Greece.