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Former sports official René Burkhalter deceased at the age of 90

SDA

3.12.2024 - 13:44

René Burkhalter, pictured here in 2003 as President of Sporthilfe, has died in Bern at the age of 90
René Burkhalter, pictured here in 2003 as President of Sporthilfe, has died in Bern at the age of 90
Keystone

René Burkhalter died in Bern last week, one month after his 90th birthday. Burkhalter was one of the great Swiss sports officials.

Keystone-SDA

03.12.2024, 13:44

03.12.2024, 14:25

Burkhalter first took part in the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City as head of the fencing delegation and later on seven more times as a member of the management team. In 2000, he was awarded the Olympic medal by the then IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch. In Switzerland, he "invented" the Bern Grand Prix of fencing.

From 1997 to 2000, René Burkhalter also served as the first President of Swiss Olympic, which was formed from the merger of the Swiss National Sports Federation (SLS) and the Swiss Olympic Committee (SOC).