Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund (DOSB)

The German Paralympic Team

The German Paralympic Team represents Germany in the Paralympic Games, showcasing a broad spectrum of athletic talent and determination across various sports. The team is made up of athletes with disabilities who compete at the highest levels in events ranging from track and field to swimming, cycling, and wheelchair basketball. Their participation not only highlights their exceptional skills and dedication but also serves as a testament to the resilience and spirit of athletes with disabilities.

The German Paralympic Team is known for its strong performances and competitive edge. Over the years, the team has achieved significant success on the international stage, consistently securing medals and setting records in a range of sports. The athletes are supported by a network of coaches, medical professionals, and support staff who help optimize their performance and ensure their well-being. This comprehensive support system is crucial in preparing the athletes for the rigorous demands of Paralympic competition.

Germany’s commitment to the Paralympic movement is reflected in the country’s investment in sports programs and infrastructure for athletes with disabilities. The German Paralympic Committee (DBS) plays a key role in the development and management of these programs, focusing on both elite performance and grassroots initiatives. This includes providing training facilities, organizing competitions, and promoting the visibility of Paralympic sports. The aim is to foster a culture of inclusion and excellence, encouraging more individuals with disabilities to engage in sports.

The athletes of the German Paralympic Team not only excel in their respective sports but also serve as role models and advocates for disability rights and inclusion. Their achievements help raise awareness about the capabilities of people with disabilities and challenge societal perceptions. Through their participation in the Paralympic Games, they inspire others and contribute to a broader understanding and acceptance of disability in sports and beyond.

In summary, the German Paralympic Team is a dynamic and highly skilled group of athletes who represent Germany with pride on the international stage. Their dedication to their sports, combined with the support of a robust organizational framework, underscores their role in advancing the Paralympic movement and promoting a more inclusive world.

Deutscher Olympischer Sportbund (DOSB)

Germany will compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris from 26 July to 11 August 2024. It will be the nation’s eighteenth consecutive appearance at the Summer Olympic Games, except for 1920 and 1924, as the nation’s role for World War I,1948 as the nation’s role for World War II. From 1956 through 1964, Germans competed as part of the member as United Team of Germany, in 1968, the team was split into two teams West Germany and East Germany.

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 (NOC) 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 Frank-Walter Steinmeier.

• The DOSB counts more than 27 million memberships in about 87.000 sports clubs. It is the largest citizens’ movement in Germany.

• The DOSB has 101 member organizations, including 16 regional sports confederations, 68 national (sport-governing) federations and 17 sport associations with special tasks.

• Since December 2021, Thomas Weikert is president of the German Olympic Sports Confederation. His predecessors were founding president Thomas Bach, Olympic champion in fencing in 1976, who led the DOSB from May 20, 2006 to September 16, 2013. He stepped down after his election as President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). Hans-Peter Krämer, Vice President for business and finance, temporarily led the DOSB until the election of the new president on December 7, 2013. From 2013 until 2021 Alfons Hörmann was the president of DOSB.

• The DOSB serves as an organization for consultation and advice, providing services to its member associations which are independent in terms of their organization, financing and specialization. As the umbrella organization, the DOSB represents the interests of organized sport in Germany towards the institutions of the European Union, of the Federal Republic of Germany, the 16 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 to foster an Olympic education and the transmission of humane values in and through sport.

• The DOSB, in principle, finances itself by means of membership fees, receipts from lottery revenues and marketing licences. Additionally, projects are financed by third-party funds mainly through the Federal Government. 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.

• 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. About 8 million volunteers and honorary workers are active in German sport clubs. They provide over 450 million hours of labour.

• 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 each and every person equal access to sports, independent of their age, gender, race, sexual orientation or social background.

• In the light of its policy of gender equality, the DOSB attaches great importance to the promotion of girls and women in and through sport.

• The DOSB aims to foster a modern and humane top-level sport. It therefore commits itself towards the national and international fight against doping and manipulation of any kind. Sending Team Germany to the Olympic Games, World Games, European Games as well as youth competitions and supporting the athletes and taking care of them is one of 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 aims to contribute to international understanding and peace by means of co-operation. It therefore cultivates harmonious contacts with numerous countries in 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 representation for EU relations promotes the interests of German sport with regard to the European Union.

• Since the beginning of the 1960s, the German sport organizations have promoted the development of sports in countries of the global south. Since then, more than 1.300 long-term and short-term sport and development 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.