The search for a new president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) hit a roadblock on Friday afternoon in Oberhaching, where a specially formed selection committee failed to secure a unified recommendation for sports manager Michael Mronz. Meeting outside the Sportschule Oberhaching beneath gray skies, key representatives of Germany’s organized sports structure opted to adjourn their discussions without backing a single candidate, leaving the election timeline and leadership structure open as the November deadline approaches.
Oberhaching Meeting Ends Without an Endorsement for Michael Mronz
Months of behind-the-scenes preparation culminated on Friday when the DOSB search committee presented its findings to delegates from the umbrella sports organization’s member groups. The committee had intended to position 59-year-old Cologne sports manager and International Olympic Committee member Michael Mronz as the sole recommended candidate to succeed outgoing president Thomas Weikert in December. However, after separate sessions held by regional sports federations at the sports school and elite sports associations at the nearby tennis base, delegates Hanns-Michael Hölz and Jürgen Scholz announced that no official joint recommendation would be issued.
Instead, any formal endorsements must wait until early November, when the official application window for presidential candidates closes. The delay sets back the transition plan architects, who had hoped to use the Oberhaching summit to establish a decisive frontrunner before the vote. Officials on site included Alfons Hölzl, president of the German Gymnastics Federation and spokesperson for the elite sports associations; Hanns-Michael Hölz, president of Snowboard Germany; Jürgen Scholz representing regional sports federations; and Michael John of the Boccia-, Boule- und Pétanque-Verband, representing non-olympic sports.
Pressure Mounts Over Leadership Direction and Competing Visions
The search committee was originally established in March by various DOSB member associations, driven by the tasks facing German sport, including elite sports reform, an Olympic bid, and rules for sexualized and other violence. Concurrently, various stakeholder groups made it clear to incumbent president Thomas Weikert that his candidacy for another term would lack backing. Weikert, 64, announced his decision to step down on Thursday, citing personal reasons.
While the informal selection process moved forward, only two figures presented themselves to the committee: Michael Mronz and Martin Engelhardt, the current DOSB vice-president and president of the German Triathlon Union. Engelhardt, known as a sports politician willing to publicly address shortcomings, commands familiarity with national sports politics. Reports from the meetings indicate that several delegates pushed Engelhardt to launch his own presidential campaign—mirroring efforts from 2018 in the era of Alfons Hörmann—before the committee ultimately positioned him as a vice-presidential candidate within a prospective Mronz cabinet.
Elite Associations Voice Concerns Over Future Priorities
While regional sports federations maintained a comparatively cautious posture during Friday’s closed-door consultations, discussions among the elite sports associations proved more contentious. There are fears that under Mronz, some association work could be neglected.
The next official checkpoint arrives in early November, when the candidate application window closes and member associations must formally declare their leadership tickets ahead of the December vote.
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