Josef Fendt facing seventh term in office as President of the FIL

Bratislava (RWH): Josef Fendt is facing his seventh term in office as the President of the International Luge Federation (FIL). Fendt (70), who hails from Berchtesgaden in Germany, will be the only candidate standing for the post when the international sports association meets for its 66th Congress in Bratislava (SVK) on 16 June 2018.

Fendt was first elected to the office of President of the FIL in Rome on 25 June 1994. Prior to that, he ran the FIL as a temporary president for a short period in 1994 following the unexpected death of founding president Bert Isatitsch on 8 February 1994. Switzerland’s René Fasel has served as President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) since the federation's congress in Venice (7 to 11 June 1994).

Norway’s Anders Besseberg has been President of the International Biathlon Union (IBU) since 1992 but will not be available for a further term in office. Should he be re-elected in Bratislava, Fendt will therefore become the longest-serving president of an Olympic winter sports association. 

His predecessor Isatitsch led the FIL for a total of 37 years, from its creation in 1957 through to his death.