The 46-year-old, the country's greatest ever athlete having won four Olympic silver medals, has a German wife and two children aged seven and 10 living in Berlin.

He is also a high profile member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), serving as head of the Athletes' Commission until last year and being a member of the London 2012 Coordination Commission.

Fredericks has carved out a successful career in sports administration having previously been among the world's top sprinters.

He finished second in both the 100 and 200 metres at the Barcelona 1992 and Atlanta 1996 Olympics and also won four medals in the World Championships, including gold in the 200m at Stuttgart in 1993.

"There is nothing sinister about my decision to exit Athletics Namibia, it's just that I need to spend some quality time with my family," Fredericks, who had been first elected as President of Athletics Namibia in 2009 and re-elected last year, the New Era newspaper in Windhoek.

"I believe my departure will not affect the progress of Athletics Namibia, they have capable leaders in the current structures and I can only predict a great future for Athletic Namibia."

Fredericks resignation will not affect his position as a member on the ruling Council of International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF). 

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