Michael Vesper has had his contract extended as DOSB chief executive ©DOSB

Longstanding German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) official Michael Vesper has had his contract extended to remain as chief executive until the end of next year.

Vesper, who will celebrate his 64th birthday on Wednesday (April 6), is a former politician who first became DOSB director general in 2006.

He successfully served in that role for eight years before shifting to the chief executive position as part of a structural reform in 2014 under new DOSB President Alfons Hörmann following the departure of Thomas Bach to become head of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Vesper's contract was due to expire in September of this year but has now been extended for a further 15 months, meaning it will stretch beyond his 65th birthday.

It follows a busy year after Vesper worked closely with Hamburg officials during the city's bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, which was withdrawn in November following a failed referendum.

Michael Vesper (right) alongside Hamburg officials during the city's unsuccessful bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics last year ©Getty Images
Michael Vesper (right) alongside Hamburg officials during the city's unsuccessful bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics and Paralympics last year ©Getty Images

Overseeing ongoing building works at the DOSB headquarters in Frankfurt am Main is one key priority for the official over the next year, as well as guiding the commercial and business sides of the organisation.

As well as his DOSB commitments, Vesper also serves on the IOC Communication Commission and on the International Relations Commission of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC).

He is currently in the Swiss city attending meetings of ANOC. 

He is also a member of the European Olympic Committees Executive Committee.