The course of the umbrella organization of German sport under the leadership of the new President Thomas Weikert is not yet recognizable. Although style and interaction in daily interactions have changed for the better, old quarrels and problems catch up DOSB again and again. And similar mistakes are obviously being made that finally flew around the ears of the dismissed predecessor committee led by Alfons Hörmann: for example in terms of transparency in the allocation of posts. The power games behind the scenes also seem to be going on.
Anonymous letter from concerned affiliates
The DOSB was startled again in the past few days by an anonymous letter, but this time it was addressed to the ethics committee. “Concerned Membership Staff” left the chairman of the body, ex-Federal Minister of the Interior Thomas de Maiziere and his colleagues know they are violating the compliance-Wanted to report regulations of the umbrella organization.
The letter, available to the editor, says: “Both the award procedure and the selection process for the position of chairman of the board and for the position of board member for mass sport/sports development is with the compliance– Not to connect standards that currently apply to all organizations and also to our umbrella organization. Rather, this procedure gives the impression of nepotism, and one hand washes the other.”
accusation of “Nepotism”
The letter writers refer to the obligation of a Dusseldorf personnel agency, the DOSB had already supported in the presidential election. The same company was also chosen when it came to finding the new CEO. The use of the company had been suggested by the Inc Personal, one of the working groups responsible for restarting the DOSB should initiate.
The personnel agency shortlisted three candidates, and Thorsten Burmester, previously General Secretary of the German Disabled Sports Association, won the race. The 58-year-old belonged to Inc staff and I have campaigned for a renewed engagement of the agency, according to the letter. The same agency was also active when Burmester was hired by the German Disabled Sports Association.
When it came to filling the board position for mass sport/sports development, the Düsseldorf company was engaged again. This time, too, there was already a definite favorite in Michaela Röhrbein, who worked for the German Gymnastics Federation. Because the names of Burmester and Röhrbein had already been circulating months beforehand as the ideal cast – and apparently nobody took offense when the two were chosen.
Doubts about the enlightenment will DOSB
In addition to these capers, the presidency of Alfons Hörmann, which ended ingloriously, also had an impact DOSB– Employees lack leadership qualities (“Culture of Fear”) had accused. In order to process the incidents during Hörmann’s presidency, the DOSB formed a commission with the former judge at the Federal Court of Justice Clemens Basdorf and ex-swimming president and lawyer Christa Thiel. The workload of this Commission is heavy and progress is slower than expected.
While the two lawyers are pursuing their assignment, critics are already having doubts about the will to clarify the matter DOSB and the member associations. The German Tennis Association (DTB) for example, the processing seems to be irrelevant. He has the former DOSB-Chairwoman Veronika Rücker committed as sports director from July 1st. She had to leave in December 2021, partly as a result of the allegations against her former colleague Karin Fehres. That the DTBwhich Rücker describes as the ideal person, who could not wait until the final report of the investigation to make the commitment, speaks for itself.
role by Schimmelpfennig and Arnold
The commission also has to clarify the question of what role the board members for competitive sport, Dirk Schimmelpfennig, and for finance, Thomas Arnold, played in the last executive committee. The news that Schimmelpfennig’s contract, which expires in December, was to be extended prematurely, was met with incomprehension. Especially since there is great frustration and anger about the top-class sports reform and its implementation.
Not only the sports directors of the associations criticized in writing the unclear control role between the Federal Ministry of the Interior and DOSBthe growing bureaucracy and the lack of communication with the competitive sports team DOSB. Despite discussions with those responsible, you keep going “Holes in the Ground and Wait for Godot”as a representative of the association put it.
Lots to do for him DOSB
There would be content for the DOSB There is a lot to clarify and do not only in terms of top-class sport. After the pandemic, the aim is to help clubs and the many Germans who are now sluggishly moving about get back on their feet. The federal government should initiate a movement summit, demand those responsible for sport. But for that he would have to DOSBthe sports youth and the German Football Association, which has latched on, first of all do conceptual preparatory work.
The has a priority program for the coming legislature DOSB not previously submitted. CEO Burmester assures that this program will be presented at the general meeting in Baden-Baden in December. At the moment it seems that this intermezzo year should be accident-free – without any major mistakes – until the regular new elections.