GAISF Grieves the Loss of Inspirational President Patrick Baumann

It is with immeasurable sadness that the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) learned of the passing of its President Patrick Baumann.

Patrick died, aged 51, on the evening of October 13 following a suspected heart attack while attending the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Our thoughts are, and will remain, with his wife and children.

Patrick Baumann was an inspirational leader whose vision, drive and matchless enthusiasm characterised his work on behalf of sport worldwide as GAISF President, Secretary General of FIBA (the International Basketball Federation) and an IOC Member.

Patrick was the driving force behind the transformation of GAISF, following his election to the presidency in 2016. Under his guidance, the organisation re-branded and found a new direction and fresh purpose within the Olympic family. He engineered GAISF’s pivotal Memorandum of Understanding with the International Olympic Committee, and put in place systems and procedures to ensure GAISF’s unity and assure its future as a key service provider for members in the fast-changing world of sport.

Patrick Baumann’s professional life was dedicated to sport, and his thoughtful, diplomatic and highly energetic approach marked him out among the leading administrators of his generation. In addition to his work at GAISF, he led FIBA to become one of the most forward thinking and successful of all International Federations, and was an influential and highly-respected IOC Member. He was a member of the IOC Evaluation Commissions for the Olympic Games 2008 and 2020, a member of the Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games 2012 and Chairman of the Evaluation Commission, and Vice-Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games 2024. He was also appointed Chairman of the Coordination Commission for the Olympic Games 2028 and was a member of various other IOC Commissions.

Patrick was appointed to the International Advisory Board of the World Academy of Sport in 2009. He was a member of the International Council of Arbitration for Sport (ICAS) from 2010, and was elected as a Council member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) in 2011 and re-elected in 2015. He was also serving as a member of the Executive Committee and the Foundation Board of the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).

In addition, he was President of the 2020 Lausanne Youth Olympic Games Organising Committee.

Patrick Baumann had a profound and lasting impact on GAISF and every organisation he served. His unswerving sense of purpose and ability to share his good-natured enthusiasm in five languages won him friends worldwide and enabled him to create beneficial change wherever he went.

In his honour, the Olympic flag will be flown at half-mast for three days at the IOC Headquarters in Lausanne and at the IOC Headquarters at the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires. The IOC will also hold a memorial in the Youth Olympic Village.

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