By Nick Butler

DOSB Honorary President Manfred von Richthofen has died at the age of 80 ©Picture Alliance/DOSBGerman Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) Honorary President Manfred von Richthofen, one of the leading and pioneering personalities of sport in the country of the postwar period, has died aged 80.


Born in Berlin in 1934, von Richthofen studied sports and social education and became an active hockey player in Germany throughout the 1950s before moving into a coaching capacity.

He also served as a Physical Education teacher at Berlin's Canisius College before joining the business world by the 1970s.

But it was in a sporting administrative capacity he found his niche, and after becoming a member of the Board of the National Sports Federation (LSB) in 1967 he graduated to sports director in 1970 and director in 1985.

After being appointed vice-president of the German Sports Federation in 1990, he became President four years later to mark the start of a 12 year period in office.

He was then a prime mover behind that organisation's merger with the National Olympic Committee to form the DOSB in 2006.

As DOSB Honorary President since the confederation was launched in 2006, he had since been a key advisor to President Thomas Bach until he departed to become head of the International Olympic Committee head last year.

He is also the nephew of famous namesake Manfred von Richthofen, a celebrated First World War aviator known as the "Red Baron" considered the best fighter pilot of the conflict until he was shot down in 1918, later becoming the subject of several books and films. 

Manfred von Richthofen is the nephew of the First World War German fighter pilot of the same name ©Hulton Archive/Getty ImagesManfred von Richthofen is the nephew of the First World War German fighter pilot of the same name ©Hulton Archive/Getty Images



During his career, the younger von Richthofen inherited some of his uncles combative streak, and was known for strong views, including opposition to Berlin's bid for the 2000 Olympic Games and to the recent Winter Olympics in Sochi. 

He was particularly known for his strong views on anti-doping and worked as head of a commission to change German sport away from the culture of state-sponsored doping seen in East Germany before unification in 1990.

Bach described von Richthofen, who died yesterday, as "a mighty spirit who has worked hard to ensure the interests of the sport in Germany".

"The entire German sport is in deep mourning to Manfred von Richthofen," added current DOSB President Alfons Hörmann.

"He was well known to sports leaders and to the various topics of the sport provided a great service, especially for the subject of popular sports and sports development he was like no other.

"He has set the course for sport in its socio-political and social importance, "

"Manfred von Richthofen has rendered outstanding services to German sport and thus our whole country."

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