was how it had to be when he started back
in 1958. We had excellent people but he would
not make good use of them and give them a
chance. Thomi took full responsibility. What had
been possible when he had 40 federations was
no longer adequate in 1989 with 67 federations.”
>
FISA was not the only sporting organisation
in which Oswald became involved. He was
approached by Juan Antonio Samaranch, then
president of the International Olympic Committee
(IOC), to become an IOC member. He was elected
onto the IOC in l991. Then, in 2000, Oswald was
elected to the IOC Executive Board. He has also
held key roles within the IOC including chairing
the Athens 2004 co-ordination commission
and he currently chairs the London 2012 co-ordination commission. Oswald has been named
as the second most influential person in the IOC
on more than one occasion, most recently in 2007.
In 1989, Thomi had announced that he would
retire after the 1990 World Championships and
then Oswald would take over at that point. So
at the 1989 Congress, Keller was elected for one
more year and Oswald was elected to take over
after that. However, Keller died shortly thereafter
and Denis Oswald took o;ce straight away in
October 1989. A professional secretary general
was hired, Australian John Boultbee, who began
in 1990 working from the new FISA o;ce in
Oberhofen, Switzerland. The professional sta;
then started to develop.
“I have always tried to do things as well as I could,
and not be too easily satisfied. In my professional
life, if I am working on something important, I will
spend the whole night until I am happy with the
result,” says Oswald. “This principle I have applied
in life as well.”
Now as president, Oswald started to empower his
Council members and give them responsibility
to carry out their duties. “I did it progressively
because we were working with volunteers only
at the time” says Oswald. “Now it is di;erent as we
also have a small team of dedicated professionals
to support our great volunteers.”
“In 2000, I was asked by the other International
Federations to take over the presidency of ASOIF
when Primo Nebiolo died,” says Oswald who was
then elected the president of the Association of
International Olympic Sport Federations (ASOIF).
“Again this came naturally. If you work well you will
always be noticed. You do not have to ask.” >
Denis Oswald on an inspectiion tour of the Athens Olympic Complex
in the lead up to the 2004 Olympic Games. Pictured here in the
company of Athens 2004 Organising Committee President Gianna
Anglelopoulos-Daskalaki.
