Office for FDP politicians: Otto Fricke becomes CEO of the DOSB

The FDP top politician Otto Fricke becomes the new CEO of the German Olympic Sports Confederation. The 59-year-old is scheduled to take over the currently vacant post on September 1st and initially receives a three-year contract, as the umbrella organization announced. The “Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung” first reported on the decision of the DOSB Presidium. Fricke succeeds Torsten Burmester, who had been dismissed early at the end of last year.

In Burmester’s candidacy for the office of Cologne Mayor, the DOSB had seen a conflict of interest and separated from it. The 62-year-old’s contract was actually still running until 2029. In the meantime, both sides have reached agreement and signed a termination agreement.

DOSB wants to use Frickes network

Fricke moved to the Bundestag for the first time in 2002 and was most recently a budgetary spokesman for the FDP parliamentary group until his party failed in the recent federal election. According to “FAZ”, the native Krefeld prevailed against six competitors. It was “a big task,” said the lawyer. There is no obvious connection to Frickes to organized top sport in his vita, the DOSB primarily relies on its contacts and experiences in politics.

Most recently, the umbrella organization had already appointed the former Hessian Prime Minister Volker Bouffier (CDU) to the board. The 73-year-old should also use his connections during the change of government to give sport a strong voice in the distribution of the additional infrastructure billions.

Olympic application as a big goal

In addition to the struggle for financial means and the implementation of the planned reform of top sports, the DOSB leadership will also be employed again in the coming months. In autumn 2026, the DOSB plans to decide which concept and which city or region it goes into the race. There are first concepts for Berlin, Munich, Hamburg and the Rhein-Ruhr region. It is still open whether the DOSB wants to apply for 2036, 2040 or 2044.

As CEO, Fricke is primarily responsible for the operating business of the DOSB and leads the employees at the headquarters in Frankfurt am Main. The Presidium around Thomas Weikert (63) specifies the content lines in sports policy.