Welcome to the International
Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation

Milan (RWH)  Ermanno Gardella, Secretary General of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation FIBT (Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing) will be celebrating his 70th birthday on 11 April. Gardella has been in his present position for the last 41 years, the longest anyone has ever held a comparable post. The Milan-based Italian has now served under four presidents, discreetly guiding the fortunes of FIBT with an experienced hand.

In the name of its member associations, FIBT would like to wish Ermanno Gardella a very happy birthday and all the best for the years to come.

Gardella, who was appointed Secretary General during the presidency of Dr Amilcare Rotta (1960 - 1980), is highly esteemed as a reliable partner by all of the national associations. In close collaboration with the German FIBT President Klaus Kotter (1980 - 1994) he played a crucial role in the survival of bobsleigh on the Olympic agenda, and his successes also include the acceptance of skeleton as an Olympic discipline from 2002 during the tenure of Canada’s Robert F. Storey as FIBT President (1994 - 2010).

The election of Ivo Ferriani as FIBT President in 2010 brought Gardella full circle: an Italian is now once again at the head of FIBT, as was the case in his early years.