Markus Wolf (far left) and Ruth Metzler-Arnold (second from right) are vying for the Swiss Olympic presidency, Sergei Aschwanden (second from left) has withdrawn his candidacy.
Image: Keystone
Ruth Metzler-Arnold wants to contribute her strategic and operational management experience to Swiss Olympic and further develop the umbrella organization of Swiss sport as an organization.
Image: Keystone
Markus Wolf has spent almost his entire professional life in sport and knows the Swiss sports system inside out.
Image: Keystone
Markus Wolf (far left) and Ruth Metzler-Arnold (second from right) are vying for the Swiss Olympic presidency, Sergei Aschwanden (second from left) has withdrawn his candidacy.
Image: Keystone
Ruth Metzler-Arnold wants to contribute her strategic and operational management experience to Swiss Olympic and further develop the umbrella organization of Swiss sport as an organization.
Image: Keystone
Markus Wolf has spent almost his entire professional life in sport and knows the Swiss sports system inside out.
Image: Keystone
An exciting duel is underway between former Federal Councillor Ruth Metzler-Arnold and sports insider Markus Wolf for the presidency of Swiss Olympic.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Candidates in the duel for Swiss Olympic presidency: Ruth Metzler-Arnold, with political and economic experience, and Markus Wolf, a sports expert, are fighting to succeed Jürg Stahl.
- Election forecast and distribution of votes: Metzler-Arnold has broader support from major sports associations, while Wolf is relying on Swiss-Ski and other sports-related organizations; a maximum of 516 votes will be cast on Friday in Ittigen.
- Further elections to the Executive Board: In addition to the presidency, nine seats on the Executive Board will be filled from twelve candidates, which is crucial for the strategic direction of Swiss Olympic.
In 2016, Swiss Olympic set up a search committee to find a successor to long-serving President Jörg Schild. The four-member committee conducted assessments with eight people, three of whom were rated as "particularly suitable", including Jürg Stahl. The then SVP National Councillor from Winterthur saw himself elected in the first round of voting with a large lead over two competitors.
Metzler-Arnold launched his candidacy early on
There was no need to set up such a committee to find suitable candidates to head Swiss Olympic this year. Back in February - almost nine months before the election date - Ruth Metzler-Arnold announced her ambitions for the highest post in the umbrella organization of Swiss sport. The former Federal Councillor, proposed by Swiss Athletics, was alone for a long time on her tour of the sports associations and stakeholder groups after her early start.
Metzler-Arnold, steeled by eight years of experience in politics and three decades in business, is a strong communicator. The 60-year-old wants to contribute her strategic and operational management experience to Swiss Olympic and further develop the umbrella organization of Swiss sport as an organization. Metzler-Arnold has not yet held a position in any national sports association; from 2005 to 2008 she was President of the Swiss Sports Aid Foundation. She sees herself as a bridge-builder between business, society, politics and science and wants to use her large network to benefit sport in the future.
Wolf as a sporting alternative
The Innerrhoden native only faced competition at the end of May. Swiss-Ski sent Markus Wolf, its former CEO, into the race for the Swiss Olympic presidency. The 51-year-old, who is also well connected in the business world, is the sporting counterpart to the former magistrate. The former top athlete and floorball champion and national coach has spent almost his entire professional life in sport.
He knows the Swiss sports system inside out. He comes from sport and lives for sport, says Wolf, who has also been one of five members of the Board of Trustees of the Swiss Sports Promotion Foundation since 2021. This public-law foundation ensures the independent allocation of funds in national sport. In future, he wants to combine his "extensive knowledge from 30 years in Swiss sport" in the office of Swiss Olympic President.
Aschwanden not a factor
At the beginning of June, former judoka Sergei Aschwanden, a former Olympic medal winner, followed as the third candidate. However, the Vaud native withdrew his candidacy in October due to a lack of support. The successor to 56-year-old Stahl, who has to step down due to the term limit, was thus reduced to a duel between Metzler-Arnold and Wolf.
Eight years ago, the search committee weighted the political and economic components heavily. The (distribution) battle for money - especially that of the federal government, where the signs for the near future point more towards austerity - will also be a central challenge in the next four or eight years under President Metzler-Arnold or President Wolf. Whoever the sports associations and partner organizations trust more in this area will probably be elected.
A maximum of 516 votes up for grabs
If you add up the votes of those who have publicly spoken out in favor of one candidate or the other, Metzler-Arnold is in pole position. With Swiss Athletics, the Football Association and the Gymnastics Association, she can count on the support of Swiss Olympic's three largest associations. She can also count on the support of Swiss Aquatics, Swiss Golf, Swiss Volley, the Handball Association and several other associations and organizations. If their delegates stick to their public pledge in the secret ballot, the former politician can count on more than 120 votes.
Wolf's most important advocates are Swiss-Ski, the ice hockey and floorball associations and Swiss Cycling. The man from Graubünden is entering the run-off with the previously announced support of around 50 votes. This will take place on Friday at the Sports Parliament in Ittigen. If all 83 national sports federations, 30 partner organizations and the seven natural persons entitled to vote attend, a maximum of 516 votes will be cast in the Sports Parliament.
New elections to the Executive Board
In addition to the election of a new President of Swiss Olympic, elections to the Executive Board of Swiss Olympic are also on the agenda at the 28th meeting of the Sports Parliament on Friday in Ittigen.
With Sergei Aschwanden, Daniel Bareiss, Pascal Jenny, Barbara Moosmann, Nora Willi and Ruth Wipfli Steinegger, six current Executive Board members are standing for re-election. There are a total of nine regular seats to be filled on this body.
Swiss Olympic has received twelve candidatures for this - in addition to the six incumbents, six new candidates are standing for election: Norman Gobbi (Swiss Shooting Sport Federation), Mario Gyr (Swiss Rowing Federation), Ophélia Jeanneret (Swiss University Sports), Kathrin Lehmann (Swiss Ice Hockey Federation), Christian Lohr (PluSport Disabled Sports Switzerland) and Regula Meier (Swiss Alpine Club SAC).
The Executive Board is the governing body within Swiss Olympic. It prepares the decisions of the Sports Parliament, ensures their implementation and represents the umbrella organization of Swiss sport externally.
The Executive Board, which is made up of the President (now either Ruth Metzler-Arnold or Markus Wolf), two athlete representatives (currently Jeannine Gmelin and Matthias Kyburz), the Swiss IOC members (Gianni Infantino and Denis Oswald) and the nine members to be elected on Friday, determines the organizational structure, the areas of work and the medium and long-term planning goals of Swiss Olympic. It also appoints the management team for the Swiss delegations to the Olympic Games.
SDA
