It is with greatest sadness that the International Fistball Association (IFA) has learnt that Joachim Günther, IFA Honorary Member in Germany, passed away at the age of 90.

In 1959, the third place in the German Men’s Championships was the greatest sporting success for him and at the time for the VfK Berlin in a long fistball career, which the striker only ended in 1996.

Parallel to his active career, he was involved on a voluntary basis in the VfK Berlin, the Berlin Gymnastics Association, the German Gymnastics Federation and the International Fistball Association. Since 1974, he supported the Technical Commission (now Sports Commission) as a member and was its chairman from 1982 to 1995. He worked on the organisation of seven Fistball world championships, including in Brazil, Chile, Argentina and Namibia.

Joachim Günther has been honoured for his services on many levels. Among other things, he was awarded the Federal Cross of Merit on Ribbon by the Federal President in 1993. After his retirement from IFA, he was elected an IFA Honorary Member.

The IFA expresses its deepest sympathies to Joachim Günther’s family and friends.