Declaration of German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB)
The DOSB has assured President Thomas Bach of its full support for a candidacy as IOC President. In a telephone conference on Wednesday, the Olympic Champion Fencing Foil Team Montreal 1976 informed about his intention to stand for the IOC Presidency at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires on 10 September 2013.
The DOSB Executive Board together with the speakers of all member organizations (Sport Federations, State Confederations and Federations with special tasks) and together with IOC Honorary Member Walther Tröger agreed unanimously on the following declaration:
We welcome Thomas Bachs announcement of his intention to submit a candidature for the post of IOC President. The German sports community fully supports him. It is the opinion of the DOSB and its member organisations that Thomas Bach is an outstanding candidate for the highest office in world sports. He has proven his leadership skills for many years in various offices in international und national sports.
We in Germany as well as many in international sports appreciate Thomas Bach as a real team leader who is always interested in dialogue and exchange. He is a man of great merit to sports. So for instance, thanks to his integrative leadership the merger of the German Sports Confederation and the National Olympic Committee into the DOSB went absolutely smoothly. Seven years after this merger, the DOSB is an important player in German society and on a growth path contrary to the current demographic trend. With around 28 million memberships in more than 91,000 clubs and 98 (con)federations, the DOSB is the umbrella organisation for German sports and the highly recognised voice of sports in politics, the economy and social discourse.
The German sports community will give Thomas Bach its wholehearted and full support for his candidacy.
