BEIJING – In a ceremony on October 2, 2012, IIHF President and IOC Member René Fasel received an honorary professorship from Renmin University in Beijing, China, in recognition of his contributions to the Olympic Movement.

“I am very flattered to receive this honorary professorship,” said Fasel. “The Renmin University is consistently one of the finest academies in China. As an IOC member I very much appreciate the impact and legacy that the Beijing Olympics 2008 have had on the university.”

“With the IIHF’s commitment to develop ice hockey in Asia and especially in China, I see this recognition also as an acknowledgment of our federation’s ambitions to assist the continuous development of our game in this expansive market.”

Other distinguished recipients were IOC Members Kevan Gosper, Ung Chang (International Taekwon-Do Federation President) and Patrick Baumann (FIBA Secretary General).

Renmin University of China, also known as People's University of China, is a major research university and one of the most prestigious universities in China, with a distinct focus on humanities and social sciences. 

Fasel was recently re-elected by acclamation for another four-year term as IIHF President, during the 2012 General Congress held in Tokyo, Japan. Earlier in the summer, he was also re-elected for another four-year term on the International Olympic Committee's Executive Board during the 124th IOC Session in London.

The Executive Board is the highest body within the IOC and assumes the ultimate responsibility for the administration of the IOC.

KRISTINA KOCH