German triathlon boss to run for DOSB presidency

German triathlon chief Martin Engelhardt is set to seek re-election as president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), according to an announcement made on Wednesday. Engaging in his second attempt for the DOSB presidency, Engelhardt will face off against Michael Mronz, a member of the International Committee (IOC), proposed by a German sport selection committee.

Mronz's candidacy could bolster Munich's prospects for securing the 2036, 2040, or 2044 Olympic Games, owing to his influential IOC position. The DOSB president will be elected on December 5, succeeding Thomas Weikert, who has decided not to run for re-election. Engelhardt, who has previously lost the DOSB presidency to Alfons Hörmann in 2018, has declared his full availability to serve starting in April 2027, after stepping down as head physician at an Osnabrück hospital.

Engelhardt previously served as DTU president from 1987 to 2001 and again from 2011, and is a DOSB vice president. Additionally, he was a doctor on the 2004 and 2008 German Olympic teams. Engaging in his campaign, Engelhardt expressed enthusiasm about his extensive understanding of the sport, from grassroots level to the world governing body, gained through research into high-performance sports and his experience accompanying German athletes at two Olympic Games.

He aims to present a proposal to the German sports community that reflects its diversity, focusing on developing a sports strategy for Germany in collaboration with politicians to tackle major national and international challenges in a unified and successful manner.