Profile of German Olympic Sports Confederation
The German Olympic Sports Confederation ('Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund', DOSB) is the non-governmental umbrella organization of German sport. It was founded on May 20, 2006, resulting from the merger of the German Sports Confederation (DSB) and the National Olympic Committee for Germany. The DOSB stands for performance, health, joy of living and the conveyance of values. The Patron of the DOSB is the German Federal President Joachim Gauck.
- With 27.8 million memberships organized in over 91,000 sports clubs, the DOSB is the largest citizens' movement in Germany.
- The DOSB is the central organization of 16 regional sports confederations (one in each federal state), 62 national (sport-governing) federations and 20 sport associations with particular tasks. Founding president was Thomas Bach, Olympic champion in fencing in 1976, who led the DOSB from May 20 2006 to September 16 2013. He resigned after his election as president of the IOC. Hans-Peter Krämer, vice president for business and finance led the DOSB then up to the election of the president on December 7 2013. On this day the DOSB general meeting elected Alfons Hörmann as the new president.
- The DOSB serves as a platform of consultation and advice, providing services to its member associations which are independent in terms of organization, financing and specialization, and represents their interests vis-à-vis the institutions of the European Union, of the Federation, the federal states and municipalities in Germany as well as the churches and all socio-political and cultural areas.
- In accordance with its statutes and articles, the DOSB is obliged to safeguard, promote and further develop the Olympic idea. It commits itself in many ways to foster an Olympic education and the transmission of humane values in and through sport.
- The DOSB, as such, finances itself by means of membership fees, receipts from lottery revenues and marketing licences. Additionally, projects are financed by third-party funds of the Federation. Moreover, the sport-governing bodies receive funding from the federal budget for top-level sports. The federal states as well as municipalities and communities, at their respective level, substantially support sport, e.g. by means of constructing and maintaining sport facilities.
- Average income per year of the DOSB in the Olympic circle 2009-2012
- Average expenses per year of the DOSB in the Olympic circle 2009-2012
- The DOSB advocates in favour of sporting and environment-friendly activities of the people, along the lines of a healthy environment.
- The DOSB supports and promotes volunteerism. More than 8.8 million volunteers and honorary workers are active in gymnastics and sports clubs. They provide over 450 million hours of exercise.
- The DOSB supports inclusion and coherence of all groups of society.
- Following the basic idea of ''sport for all“, the DOSB develops programmes which are intended to give possibly each and every person access to sports, independently of his/her age, gender and social origin.
- In the light of its policy of gender equality, DOSB attaches great importance to the promotion of girls and women.
- The DOSB aims at fostering a modern and humane top-level sport. Thus, it takes part in the national and international fight against doping and manipulation of all kinds. Sending national teams to the Olympic Games and taking care of them also belongs to the central tasks in the field of top-level sports.
- The German sports movement is embedded in European and international developments and structures, from mass sports up to top-level sports. The DOSB wants to contribute its part to international understanding and peace by means of co-operation. It therefore cultivates contacts with numerous countries of the world. Representing the interests of German sports in all international issues related to sport-specific or Olympic concerns, the DOSB participates in the development of international sports policy. A Brussels-based representative for EU relations defends the interests of German sport with regard to the European Union.
- Since the beginning of the sixties, the German sports organizations have promoted the development of sports in the developing countries. Since then, more than 1,300 long-term and short-term projects have been implemented in more than 100 countries. This work is only possible with the extensive support of the Federal Government and, in particular, the German Foreign Office.
High Performance Sport
- German top-level sport has been in a leading position in world sports for many years. At Olympic Summer or Winter Games, Germany uses to be in the upper field of the medal ranking list of the nations. At World and European Championships of the individual sports, German athletes present themselves as pleasant and engaging ambassadors of their country. Positive sporting results underline the commitment and readiness for performance of the young people and show that the clubs, federations, high performance centres and Olympic training centres take good care of them. German high-performance sport is financed by the sport budget of the German Federal Ministry of the Interior with a funding amount of over 130 million Euro.
- Furthermore, the German Armed Forces, the German Federal Border Police and the German Customs Authority are important partners and supporters because they provide places in their sport promotion groups for male and female athletes.
- In German top-level sports we are not dealing with performance and achievement at all costs. The DOSB practises a policy of 'zero tolerance' against all kinds of manipulation. In times of a general change of values and a potential lack of orientation, top-level sport, by means of its multifarious expression forms, is intended to contribute to an exemplary transmission of values related to achievement and the striving for performance.
- The national concept for promoting top-level sports, the system of training and Olympic training centres as well as the concept for the development and promotion of young talented athletes serve as fundamental principles for the work in German top-level sports.
Sport Development / Sport for All
- One third of the population of our country practises sport in sports clubs. Slogans such as ''Sport is at its Best in the Club“ or ''Sport is Good for Germany“ are generally known. 40 years ago we have created the 'Trim Action' which later on became one of the biggest and most successful social marketing campaigns of the Federal Republic of Germany. It lent wings to the aspiration of 'Sport for All, which DOSB puts into practice by using its traditional trade marks such as the quality seal 'Sport for Health', the Festivals of Sports or the German Sports Badge. In this way we link, in an ideal way, the tradition of an almost 100-year-old history with the fitness idea of modern society. Special initiatives and programmes to promote women, families, senior citizens and persons with a migration background lay the basis of a lively association which orientates itself by the increased needs of our modern sporting society and is aware of its own ecological responsibility.
- The variety of sport is also reflected in the programmes of education implemented by organized sport. There are more than 600 different educational curricula in which sport organizations offer committed persons in the clubs education and advanced training courses on the basis of the DOSB General Guidelines of Education. Almost 500,000 persons hold a valid DOSB licence as (male or female) coaches, exercise leaders, club managers or youth leaders. Furthermore, the sport organizations offer numerous courses of continuing training which are not included in the DOSB licence system.
- Sport educates – not only on the grounds of its formal educational system but also by means of sports practice and voluntary commitment in the clubs themselves. Informal educational processes through active participation in sports and by sharing responsibilities in the club facilitate the achievement of personal/soft skills and social competencies.
- All educational activities of sport organizations are based on a holistic educational approach which always places the development of the individual personality and the principle of life-long learning in the centre of attention.
- The German Sports Youth ('Deutsche Sportjugend', dsj) takes up and represents the interests of more than 10 million children, adolescents and young people up to 27 years of age, who are organized in over 91,000 sports clubs.The latter are associated to 16 regional sports youths (federal state level), 53 youth organizations of the national federations and 10 youth organizations of the associations with particular tasks. Thus, the German Sports Youth is the largest independent body responsible for the assistance to children and young people in the Federal Republic of Germany.
- In co-operation with its member organizations and their associated sub-structures, the German Sports Youth offers country-wide programmes, using sports as a medium in order to promote young people in view of developing their personality.