Overview

• The DOSB Presidium unanimously elected Otto Fricke on June 30 after a search process narrowed six contenders to two finalists
• He succeeds Torsten Burmester and will assume interim duties from Volker Bouffier on August 1 before formally beginning his three-year tenure on September 1
• A 59-year-old lawyer from Krefeld, Fricke served in the Bundestag from 2002 to 2013 and 2017 to 2025 and most recently acted as the FDP’s budget policy spokesperson
• His mandate includes leading conceptual and strategic management of the DOSB, renovating ageing sports venues and overhauling elite athlete programs
• Fricke’s cross-party connections are viewed as vital for marshaling government funding and building momentum behind a bid for the 2036 or 2040 Summer Olympics