German disabled sports mourn Karl Quade. The former para-athlete and later official died on Boxing Day at the age of 71.
The German Disabled Sports Association (DBS) announced this on Sunday and called Quade “the face and heart of the Paralympic movement in Germany”. Quade, who was born in Essen, was a member of the German national stand volleyball team and won gold with them at the 1988 Paralympics in Seoul after he had already won silver in Los Angeles in 1984.
“Always authentic, warm and friendly”
After his active career, Quade worked at the Games as Chef de Mission for the Team Germany Paralympics from 1996 onwards. Since 1995, Quade has been Vice President of the DBS. “The death of Dr. Karl Quade hits us all hard. With him we lose a passionate source of inspiration and a convinced supporter of the Paralympic idea. With great gratitude we will preserve his legacy and continue the path he shaped. He was a proven expert with an extraordinary range of knowledge, but always authentic, warm and personable.”says DBS President Hans-Jörg Michels.