Page 2/2, by Gerd Schneider, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 24.01.2005, Nr. 19
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The fact that, even as a teenager, he was able to leave the narrowness of his homeland and move out into the big wide world, was down to the career of his German stepfather, Markus Schmitz. The ZDF foreign correspondent, who was born in Rheinland-Pfalz, moved the family from Vienna to the United States 8 years ago. At the college of the Californian town of Stanford, Markus passed through the tough America swimming school. "Here, there are hundreds of swimmers who are continually hammered down until three world champions remain," says Rogan, who won the world cup in Berlin in the 100 metres (with the same time as Thomas Rupprath) and in the 200 metres backstroke. Last year, he passed the final university examinations with distinction in the subjects of international relations and business studies. In the meantime, he and his family have returned to his hometown of Vienna; he wants to professionally prepare himself for the next 2008 Olympic Games in Peking. Thanks to lucrative contracts - for the Raiffeisen bank, amongst others, for which Hermann Maier also advertises - Rogan is financially secure for his golden Peking plan. After Athens, they threw themselves at Markus like flies, says his stepfather, who also acts as his manager, "but it was clear to us from the start: We don't want a circus horse project." Therefore, Rogan can now also afford to refuse even an 8,000.00 Euro offer for an autograph session.

Meanwhile, the talented self-presenter ("Neue Zürcher Zeitung") has his fun playing games with the media. With irritating self-confidence, he answers questions - such as, why Austria honours its sports stars so ardently. Answer: "A country, which has lost every war in the last 150 years, is ravenous for heroes.." A popular reporter from the Austrian broadcasting service, who ambushed him immediately after his first final race in Athens with the non-question of how he now feels, was elegantly countered in front of running cameras - he retorted: "An interesting question! How did you think of that one?" When asked about such provocations, he says: "There's nothing duller than successful, stupid, uncharming sportsmen." On the ominous subject of pressure, which regularly slows the German swimmer down at the Olympics, the psychiatrist's son also speaks with refreshing ease. Yes, he says, pressure can be laming - "but only for those, who don't enjoy attention. " He is completely free of this suspicion. The most famous of all questionnaires can be found on his internet page, and the very first question goes: "What is the worst thing that can happen to you? " His answer: "To be ignored."

By Gerd Schneider, Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, 24.01.2005, Nr. 19 Made available by the Frankfurter Allgemeine Archive