By Duncan Mackay
British Sports Internet Writer of the Year

July 9 - Steffi Klein, the former media and communications director of the International Paralympic Committee (IPC), has joined Munich's bid to host the 2018 Olympics and Paralympics as its new sports director, it was announced today.


She joins the new Board of Directors unveiled today who have been tasked with buidling on the report of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Working Group, who last month confirmed Munich's position as a Candidate City along with rivals Annecy and Pyeongchang.

Klein, who was born and raised in Bavaria, is joined by Jochen Färber, the spokesman at the International Fencing Federation who has also worked for Eurosport, who is the new head of communications.

Färber, a close ally of Thomas Bach, the President of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB), has been hired to help ensure Munich gets its message across as it bids to become the first city in the history of the Olympics to host both the Summer and Winter Games.

Another new member joining the team is Andreas Weinberger, whose background is with Deloitte, one of the world’s leading auditing and financial services companies, and official supporters of Munich’s bid.

He will be in charge of finance.

The other members of the Board are Katrin Merkel, international relations; Jürgen Bühl, planning and Stefan Bruckner, marketing.



Willy Bogner, the chief executive of Munich 2018, said: "Our journey to Durban and the IOC Session on 6 July 2011 has begun, and with this fabulous team on board we can now shift up a gear and build some real momentum. Munich 2018 is proud to have recruited such a first-class team.

"They all come with excellent reputations and proven success in a variety of backgrounds.

"Most importantly, they share my belief that the Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games in Munich in 2018 would be the most athlete-friendly, the most Olympic family-friendly, and the most future-friendly Games in history."

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