President Josef Fendt with emotional farewell

Großgmain (FIL): After 26 years at the helm of the FIL and 35 years in the FIL Executive Board, President Josef Fendt modestly bid farewell at the Online Congress with an emotional speech, reminding his successor Einars Fogelis, who had just been elected as only the third President in the 63-year history of the FIL, of the most important goal for the future: “To maintain luge as an Olympic sport must be the absolute top priority for the future FIL leadership”. 

Since the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Fendt has led the world federation, first provisionally and then officially, after his election at the Congress in Rome in June 1994. During his term of office, the silver medal winner of the 1976 Olympic Winter Games in Innsbruck and two-time World luge champion had professionalized the federation and put it in a solid financial position. The inclusion of the team competition in the Olympic program since the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi (RUS), long-standing sponsorship partners, and increased television presence, as well as much more, are all the merits of Josef Fendt.

The 73-year-old sports official is also held in high esteem in the IOC and is a member of the IOC "Sport and Environment" Commission and also contributed his expertise and ideas to the Association of International Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF). Consequently, IOC President Dr. Thomas Bach surprised his "long-time companion and friend" Josef Fendt in a very personal and moving video message, presenting him with the award of the Olympic Order during the online congress. The Olympic Order was initially awarded virtually.
In a secret ballot, the FIL member federations had already prepared the way in advance and Sepp Fendt could be appointed Honorary President of the FIL during the Congress. Finally, the newly elected President Einars Fogelis thanked Josef Fendt's wife Renate with a bouquet of flowers for her husband's support over the years.

At the farewell there were "standing ovations", much praise and even more presents. The Bobsleigh and Sled Association for Germany (BSD), with its chairman Thomas Schwab, came up with something very special. From this season on, the traditional ‘lake curve‘ – ‘Seekurve‘ -  of the artificially-iced track at Königssee will bear the name the ‘Josef Fendt Kurve’. Symbolically, Fendt was presented with the personalized name plate for the curve.

Josef Fendt modestly gave his thanks at the end: “I would like to say a big thank you to all those who have accompanied and supported me during the last 26 years as FIL President. Without this assistance I would not have been able to carry out my office for so long. And of course, a big thank you also goes to my wife Renate, who not only had to endure my time as an active luge athlete and then my official activities, but who has supported me all these years.”