OOC
The Presidium of the Austrian Olympic Committee (ÖOC) has unanimously appointed Florian Gosch as the new Secretary General with the approval of the Board of Directors. The 43-year-old former beach volleyball player prevailed against 83 national and international applicants in a multi-stage selection process, as the ÖOC announced on Tuesday afternoon. Peter Mennel’s contract as Secretary General runs until June 30, 2025.
18.06.2024 17.41
Online since today, 5.41pm
“We are convinced that in Florian Gosch we have found the perfect solution for the position of ÖOC Secretary General,” explained ÖOC President Karl Stoss. “He knows the Olympic Games from an athlete’s perspective and has played a major role in the successful development of the Austrian Olympic Committee over the past 13 years with his competence, commitment and empathy.”
Currently, the full focus is on preparing for and supplying the Olympic Games in Paris, which will open on July 26, 2024. “The primary goal is to provide the best possible support to the participating athletes and associations in order to create the conditions for Austrian success. This and the implementation of the successful Austria House project requires all of our energy,” said Mennel.
According to Mennel, the course for the handover of office will only be set after the Summer Games in Paris, “in order to ensure a seamless transition into the next cycle up to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan/Cortina and to prepare the ÖOC team for the new project.”
GEPA/Philipp Schalber At the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, Gosch and Alexander Horst took fifth place
“Great honor for me”
Gosch qualified for the Olympic Games twice as a beach volleyball player, in 2004 in Athens and 2008 in Beijing, and took fifth place in his second participation together with Alexander Horst. “It is a great honor for me to be given this position. Thank you for your trust,” said Gosch, a member of the ÖOC management since 2016.
“The Olympic idea has shaped my entire sporting and professional career, the five rings have accompanied me since my youth. That is why it is something very special for me to be able to take on this task,” says Gosch. “Together with a strong team, I want to do everything I can to lead the ÖOC into a successful future.”
