Rene Fasel Swiss dentist, ice hockey player and sports official. Date of Birth: 06.02.1950 Country: Switzerland

Biography of René Fasel

René Fasel is a Swiss dentist, ice hockey player, and sports official. He has achieved impressive results in his role as a sports official, including serving as the President of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), and working with the Swiss Olympic Association.

Born in Fribourg, Switzerland, Fasel attended the University of Fribourg and the University of Bern, where he earned a Doctor of Dental Surgery degree in 1977. He then opened his own firm, but shifted his focus from dentistry to law.

Fasel began his sports career as a player for the HC Fribourg-Gottéron team, where he played professionally until 1972. He later became a referee and officiated 37 international matches before becoming the Chairman of the Swiss Ice Hockey League Referee Committee in 1982. In 1985, he assumed the position of President of the Swiss Ice Hockey Association.

In 1986, Fasel became a member of the council for the International Ice Hockey Federation, where he oversaw the referee and marketing committees. In June 1994, he was elected as the President of the IIHF, succeeding Günter Sabetzki. Fasel served four consecutive terms as President, with his final term ending in May 2008.

During his tenure as President, Fasel focused on strengthening the relationship between the IIHF and the National Hockey League (NHL), the largest professional hockey league in North America. In March 1995, Fasel negotiated an agreement that allowed NHL players to participate in the Winter Olympics in Nagano. He also promised to work tirelessly to ensure NHL player participation in the 2014 Winter Olympics.

Fasel actively campaigned against fighting in hockey, considering it unacceptable and primitive behavior. He also promoted inline hockey, a version of hockey played on roller skates. In 1992, Fasel became a member of the Swiss Olympic Association, and in 1995, he became the first official representative of ice hockey within the IOC.

Throughout his membership in the IOC, Fasel held various positions, including Chairman of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations and Chairman of the Coordination Committee for the Winter Olympics. In May 2008, Fasel was nominated as a potential replacement for Ottavio Cinquanta as the representative for winter sports in the IOC Executive Board. He was officially appointed to this position on August 7, 2008, and served for four years.

In 1997, the IOC commissioned Fasel to conduct a study on the quality of dental care provided to Olympic athletes. The results of his research were published as a separate report in 2005. On July 26, 2012, Fasel participated in the Olympic torch relay.

René Fasel is married to Fabienne Vonlanthen, and they have four children together: three sons and a daughter. For his numerous contributions to sports, Fasel has received prestigious awards, including the Legion of Honor and the Russian Order of Friendship.