DOSB must look for a new boss: Hormann will leave in December
Alphonse Hormann will resign as President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB). Photo: Ina Fassbender/AFP Pool/dpa
Source: dpa-infocom GmbH
The path to a new beginning in the German Olympic Sports Federation is clear. DOSB chief Alphonse Hormann will step down in December after heavy criticism of his management style. Until then, a successor must be found.
FRANKFURT/MAIN (dpa) – The German Olympic Sports Federation must look for a new president. Incumbent President Alphonse Hormann paved the way for a fresh start after serious allegations about his management style at DOSB.
As a result of poor management of the acute crisis, the Presidium of DOSB unanimously decided to hold extraordinary new elections at the General Assembly in December and waived the initial vote of confidence proposed by the Central Assemblies.
Hormann: Organize an orderly transition
The 60-year-old Hormann, who has headed the umbrella sports organization since 2013, will not run for election and is stepping down. “My motivation in volunteering was to enhance the social power of sport, to create optimal conditions for all athletes, and to effectively represent and live the values of sport: fairness, respect and performance,” Hormann explained.
The well-being of German sport must always take precedence over the ambitions and goals of the people involved. “That is why it is now a question of organizing an orderly transition that ensures stability for DOSB and its member organizations and at the same time allows for fair competition of people and concepts for DOSB,” explained the business manager from Bavaria.
Koeh Niromand, vice president of economics and finance, also announced, according to DOSB, that he wants to resign. Neromand spoke about the recent years in which the German Football Association achieved great success, both sportingly and economically, but he also criticized them. “In the past few weeks, it has become clear that the common basis and unity necessary for success no longer exists in parts of German sport,” said managing director of German volleyball champion Berlin Voles. “I’m so sorry about that and I’m going to make my space clear of new heads and ideas.”
Preparing for new elections begins
According to the federation’s announcement, specific preparations for the new elections at the end of the year will be coordinated by the heads of the three groups of federations – state sports federations, central associations and associations with special tasks. They will announce in due course whether the four other Vice Presidents will run for re-election.
The current Presidency will essentially do everything in the coming weeks to “give the athletes the best possible support at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Tokyo.” It remains to be seen whether Hormann will travel to Japan as head of the delegation as planned. Preparations for the Winter Games in Beijing in February 2022 should also begin. “The same applies to the various tasks in sport in Germany in the field of folk sports, which still need collective efforts for the post-epidemic period,” she added.
Recently, resentment against the leadership of DOSB has been growing and has been accompanied by calls for the head of the umbrella organization to resign. In an open letter published anonymously, Hormann was accused of improper management style (“climate of fear”) by PHS staff. As a result, the Ethics Committee investigated the allegations and recommended snap elections on June 7.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210616-99-24504 / 2
