DOSB: Reactions to an open letter against Alfons Hörmann: demand for resignation and trust

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Alfons Hörmann

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Sebastian Wells / imago / Sebastian Wells

The North Rhine-Westphalian state sports association chief Stefan Klett has called for the resignation of DOSB President Alfons Hörmann in response to a letter allegedly written by employees of the German Olympic Sports Association.

"After the disastrous repeated Olympic bankruptcy, the cut tablecloth with the IOC, the dilettantism in dealing with the impact on the vaccination protection law, this process brings the barrel to overflow," said Klett sportschau.de.

Hörmann's lack of respect for the employees and, at the same time, the popular sports base in the sports clubs harms the important social tasks of the DOSB.

In the open letter sent on Thursday, serious allegations are made against the 60-year-old Hörmann.

The letter was addressed to the presidium, board of directors and works council on behalf of DOSB employees.

In the letter, Hörmann's management style and behavior are sharply criticized.

In addition, internal matters and processes in the umbrella organization are described and denounced.

Sender anonymous

"Mr. Hörmann should resign immediately and clear the way for a new election," said Klett, whose state sports association is the largest in Germany with around five million members.

"The non-profit German sport needs trust, transparency and humanity in the pandemic time and a president who actively listens to his member organizations and the grassroots instead of ignoring them."

The senders of the paper remained anonymous.

However, the content of the letter sounds like inside knowledge.

The DOSB claims that the letter was sent from a "fake mail account".

However, it is correct: The e-mail was sent from an account of the provider Mailfence, which advertises a "secure and confidential e-mail service".

This is a generally accepted method of choice in cases where the sender values ​​anonymity.

DOSB communicators spread the reading that the incriminating letter was not circulated by DOSB employees.

Some detailed descriptions from the DOSB headquarters speak against this unfounded thesis.

"You have to take the criticism seriously"

Hörmann himself announced a quick clarification.

He told the “Allgäuer Zeitung”: “In the last few hours, numerous managers and employees have clearly distanced themselves from this style and content.

The DOSB management bodies will also provide relevant clarifications in a timely manner. "

Martin Engelhardt, President of the German Triathlon Union, was not surprised by the letter.

“You have to take the criticism seriously.” In 2018, Engelhardt was clearly inferior to Hörmann in the election for the presidency of the DOSB.

"It is now the duty of the Presidium to deal with these things and to follow them up," said Engelhardt.

Even before his election defeat in 2018, Engelhardt had criticized Hörmann's manners, among other things.

The DOSB, on the other hand, rejected the allegations "in all clarity" and expressed "unlimited trust" to Alfons Hörmann.

At the same time it was announced that it would want to "thoroughly examine the cited points of criticism."

"The cooperation between the President and the Board of Directors is characterized by a very constructive, professional and fair cooperation," says the declaration by the DOSB Board of Directors.

bka / sid / dpa