Willi Daume

Willi Daume was on the German basketball team at the 1936 Olympic Games, although he did not play in any games. He was also considered one of the top handball players in the country. Daume studied law at the Universities of Köln (Cologne), Leipzig, and München, and then became a wealthy industrialist, owning several countries including a steel factory in Dortmund.

From 1949-55 Daume headed the German Handball Federation and from 1950-70 was in charge of the German Sports Federation. In 1961 he became President of the German Olympic Committee, he was President of the Organizing Committee for the 1972 München Olympic Games, and for the 1981 Olympic Congress held in Baden-Baden. In 1980 Daume stood for the IOC Presidency but lost in the first round to Juan Antonio Samaranch. His most difficult time was during the 1972 Olympics where he was in charge of the failed negotiations to help free the Israeli hostages that had been abducted by the Black September terrorist group, and were eventually all killed.