The former director of Swiss Ski needs to guide the umbrella group of Swiss sports activities. The election of Sergei Aschwanden was fashioned in western Switzerland.
Markus Wolf was the CEO of Swiss Ski between 2014 and 2019 – now he needs to be the President of the Swiss Olympic.
Jürg Stahl’s time period as President of the Swiss Olympics will finish subsequent November. The 55-year-old from Winterthur succeeded Jörg Schild on the head of the Swiss sports activities umbrella group in 2017. The outcomes of his two phrases in workplace have been blended. In sports activities circles, folks have been hoping for lots of political assist from the previous National Councilor of the SVP.
At the top of February, the Swiss Athletics group had already despatched Ruth Metzler to the race as a substitute for Stahl. At least on the political stage, the lady from jap Switzerland is much more outstanding than the outgoing president. In 1999, the United Federal Assembly elected the then 35-year-old from Eastern Switzerland to the nation’s authorities because the youngest member since Numa Droz 124 years earlier. But after solely 4 years as head of the Department of Justice and Police, he needed to let go of the hardened SVP and his doyen Christoph Blocher.
Since then, issues have been quiet across the baby politician. Metzler returned to the non-public sector, taking a educating place on the University of St. Gallen and varied administration and consulting actions. He additionally led the Swiss Sports Aid Foundation from 2005 to 2008.
We are on the lookout for a powerful hand with a transparent line
This formidable athlete is properly versed in world sports activities. However, there are doubts in some main organizations about whether or not Metzler actually has the profile to guide the Swiss Olympics sooner or later. From a widespread perspective, the group wants a powerful hand with a transparent line, somebody who will not be happy with consultant duties, however who will information the group sooner or later with sturdy management. That’s why Swiss Ski, one among Switzerland’s most politically essential sports activities organizations, offered Markus Wolf as an opponent to Ruth Metzler on Wednesday.
The 50-year-old from Grisons was the director of Swiss Ski from 2014 to 2019 and, after tumultuous years and several other administration adjustments, he established himself as a powerful second man alongside the sturdy chief Urs Lehmann. Lehmann praised Wolf’s success when he resigned from NZZ with these phrases: “I might have favored to have a director like Markus Wolf subsequent to me sooner.” In a way, that was a praise to the chief.
After six years, Wolf retired from the exhausting work voluntarily and, above all, for the good thing about his household. He was succeeded by Bernhard Aregger of Lucerne. Wolf has just lately held varied jobs within the non-public sector; Until the top of 2023, he was the CEO of the tourism firm Weisse Arena in Laax for 4 years. Currently, amongst different issues, he’s the president of the board of administrators of the Association of Swiss Sporting Goods Suppliers and the board of administrators of the Graubünden medical health insurance firm ÖKK. Before his time at Swiss Ski, Wolf was additionally head of youth and grownup sports activities on the Federal Office of Sport (Baspo) and head of sports activities promotion within the canton of Graubünden.
Now it’s clear that he feels prepared for the following prime place in Swiss sport. When requested what he want to obtain as President of the Swiss Olympics, he mentioned: “Swiss sports activities want a brand new 2040 technique that explains what we need to stand for and the place we need to develop sports activities. According to many organizations, the forms has gotten out of hand and the executive waterhead has developed. He says that as president, he’ll take the method of energetic management.
Sergei Aschwanden can also be contemplating operating for workplace
The Swiss sports activities umbrella group is dealing with essential months. Last yr, an try and get the IOC to prepare the 2030 Winter Olympics failed. The Alpes de la Méditerranée area round Nice was awarded the contract, whereas Salt Lake City will host the video games in 2034. As a comfort, the IOC has assured Swiss candidates the chance to enter into what is named a “privileged dialogue” in regards to the 2038 Games. That means: If Switzerland is prepared and prepared, it could possibly have video games. You do not even have to speak to potential rivals.
But as tempting because the provide sounds, because the door appears open, there may be nonetheless loads of work to be performed earlier than Switzerland’s bid for the Olympics. To understand this, you want a head with a large community by way of sports activities and enterprise. Markus Wolf appears to suit this profile higher than Ruth Metzler. He accomplished the tough activity of operating Swiss Ski with flying colours and satisfied essentially the most highly effective Swiss Olympic promoter, Urs Lehmann, of himself and his talents.
Now it’s Lehmann who is alleged to have impressed Wolf, together with different outstanding Swiss sportsmen, to enter the race for the Swiss Olympic presidency. Swiss Ski has now nominated him, Swiss Cycling, Swiss Unihockey and Swiss Hockey are supporting this marketing campaign.
With Markus Wolf’s dedication to run for workplace, there needs to be some motion within the candidacy course of. Wolf is not the one potential rival to Ruth Metzler. Former judoka Sergei Aschwanden can also be contemplating operating for workplace. The 48-year-old Romand, with a father from Uri and a mom from Kenya, gained Olympic bronze on the 2008 Summer Games in Beijing. Since 2017 he has been a member of the Executive Council of the Canton of Vaud of the FDP.
Swiss sports activities are dealing with an fascinating autumn as a result of there can be one other change within the Baspo rating. The final two Swiss Olympic presidents got here from politics. Both met little expectations. So the time appears ripe to place the dose again within the arms of the athlete. These three candidates nonetheless have time to take workplace. Stahl’s successor can be determined on the common assembly of the sports activities parliament on November 22 this yr.