FISA's Oswald to Chair 2012 Coordination Commission

FISA President Denis Oswald

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced today that FISA President Denis Oswald will be the Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Oswald will oversee the 15 person coordination commission which includes FISA’s vice-president Anita DeFrantz (USA) and FISA’s continental representative for Oceania, John Coates (Australia).

The coordination commission acts as a link between the London organising committee and the IOC and will monitor progress leading up to 2012 as well as assist the organising committee. Leading up to the Athens Olympics Oswald held the same role as Chairman of the Coordination Commission.

IOC President Jacques Rogge described Oswald in the IOC press release; ?Denis brings a unique combination of skills and experience, as a medal-winning, three-time Olympic athlete and a sports leader with nearly 30 years of experience organising international competitions of the highest level. With the success of Athens 2004, Denis has already demonstrated his ability to help lead the delivery of excellent Olympic Games while under great pressure, bringing partners together and resolving a wide range of difficult issues.?

Oswald, 58, a lawyer in Switzerland has been President of FISA since 1989. Prior to that he held the position of FISA’s secretary-general, beginning in 1977. This was a year after he retired from competitive rowing which took him to three Olympic Games; Mexico 1968 (bronze medal in the men’s coxed four), Munich 1972 and Montreal 1976.

Oswald has been a member of the IOC since 1991 and a member of the IOC Executive Board since 2000. He is head of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations and was recently appointed Professor at the Law Faculty of Neuchâtel University in Switzerland. He is also Director of Neuchâtel’s International Centre for Sports Studies.

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