Beyond Sport

Adolf Ogi - The Ambassadors

Former President of Switzerland and UN Special Advisor on Sport and Development

Born in 1942 in Kandersteg near Bern-Switzerland Adolf Ogi did Business Studies in his country and then in England.

After being manager of a tourist office, he joined the Swiss Skiing Federation, first as technical director and afterwards as director from 1971 to 1981. He also took an active part in the «Fédération Internationale de Ski» from 1971 to 1983 and is currently Honorary President of «Swiss Olympics», the Swiss Olympic Committee. In 1981 he became director and board member of Intersport Schweiz Holding AG.

He has been a member of Parliament since 1979, and was elected Federal Councillor in 1987. As such he was the Minister in charge of the Federal Department for Transport, Communications and Energy from 1988-95, then of the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sports from 1995-2000. In 1993 and in 2000 he was President of the Swiss Confederation.

From 2001-2007 he was Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations and Special Adviser to the UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and Ban Ki-moon on Sport for Development and Peace.

He is currently active in a number of other functions, including those of Honorary Chairman of the Swiss Olympic Association. Honorary Member of Swiss Ski Federation.  Adolf Ogi is Chairman of the Advisory Board of the Swiss Economic Forum He is Honorary President of the Geneva Security Forum. Honorary Board Member of Green Cross International. President Patronage Committee of UNESCO World Heritage Jungfrau-Aletsch-Bietschhorn Foundation. Member of the Advisory Board of the Stanford Group Company. Member of the International Board of Directors of the NGO Right to Play. International Ambassador Peace and Sport Forum, an NGO under the High Patronage of HSH Prince Albert II of Monaco.

He has received several distinctions and awards.

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