Norbert Müller, a lover of sports and Christian values

Norbert Müller with Thomas Bach, president of the IOC

On Wednesday, February 16, we learned of the death of our beloved Prof. Norbert Müller, a member of the former Pontifical Council for the Laity from 2008 to 2016 and a close collaborator with the Dicastery's Office for Church and Sport, with whom he worked from its creation in 2004 until today.

Prof. Norbert Müller was known internationally for his commitment to and love of sports. Professor of Sport Science at the Johannes Gutenberg University of Mainz, he was also a member of the Commission for Olympic Culture and Heritage of the International Olympic Committee. A great connoisseur of the life and writings of Baron de Coubertin, the founder of the Olympic Games, he was president of the Pierre de Coubertin International Committee for several years.

Despite his many roles, his Christian faith was always present in his work and he accepted to be appointed advisor to the Permanent Observer of the Holy See to the Council of Europe for sport and physical education, as a testimony to his dedication, always loyal and discreet. He was a passionate man, dedicated to his faith and to the ideals of sport. We all remember with gratitude his affectionate manner, his elegance and his simplicity.

He collaborated with the Holy See in various ways and was, without doubt, the driving force behind the drafting and publication in 2018 of the Holy See's first document on sports, "Giving the Best of Yourself."

Undoubtedly, his passion for promoting sports based on the vision and works of Pierre de Coubertin and the Olympic Movement leaves a huge legacy for current and future generations of students, researchers, and the entire Olympic family.