German Rugby Federation
The German Rugby Federation (german: Deutscher Rugby-Verband or ''DRV'') is the governing body for rugby union in Germany. It organizes the German national team and the three league divisions: the Rugby-Bundesliga, the 2nd Rugby-Bundesliga and ...
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
, and is a sports journalist by profession.Claus-Peter Bach bleibt Präsident des Deutschen Rugby-Verbandes DOSB website, published: 15 June 2009, accessed: 29 March 2010
The president of the German Rugby Federation, the ''DRV'', is elected for a two-year period and Bach has been confirmed in his office twice since election in 2005.
On club level, he is a member of the SC Neuenheim. He is the second member of this club to hold this position, Hans Baumgärtner having been the first, from 1974 to 1985.
Bach's aim was to develop the sport of rugby in
Germany
Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...
and for the national team to reach the 2015 Rugby World Cup.
Bach came under criticism when he promised four German rugby players,
Raphael Pyrasch
Rafael Pyrasch (born 6 August 1986) accessed: 17 March 2010 is a German
Bundeswehr
The ''Bundeswehr'' (, meaning literally: ''Federal Defence'') is the armed forces of the Federal Republic of Germany. The ''Bundeswehr'' is divided into a military part (armed forces or ''Streitkräfte'') and a civil part, the military part con ...
, a special sports unit within the German Army. This was however not the case, with no places available in the unit for male rugby players until 2012. This led to great resentment by the players towards the ''DRV'' and its then-chairman because all four had turned down other options in favour of the promised place in the ''Sportkompanie''.
Bach announced in early 2011 that he would not be available for another term as president of the ''DRV'' when his position is up for reelection on 17 July 2011, at the annual conference of German rugby in
Hanover
Hanover (; german: Hannover ; nds, Hannober) is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony. Its 535,932 (2021) inhabitants make it the 13th-largest city in Germany as well as the fourth-largest city in Northern Germany ...
.
The German Rugby Federation suffered a major crisis in 2011, finding itself close to insolvency, being €200,000 in debt. The situation was brought on by the annual grant of the German federal ministry of the interior, ''BMI'', not being paid in 2010 after the ministry voiced concerns that the ''DRV'' was not using the money for the desired purpose, to support the sport. A legal battle that the ''DRV'' chairman Bach fought with the ministry did not bring the desired result but instead worsened the situation. Bach consequently announced he would not stand for another term in July 2011 and was replaced by
Ralph Götz
Ralph Götz (born 15 May 1967) was the President of the German Rugby Federation
The German Rugby Federation (german: Deutscher Rugby-Verband or ''DRV'') is the governing body for rugby union in Germany. It organizes the German national team a ...
. The ''DRV'' was able to secure a private loan to survive and hopes to attract sponsors that had withdrawn under Bach as well as to reach a settlement with the ''BMI''.
Bach criticised the German federal ministry of the interior for its role in the almost-insolvency of the ''DRV'' in an interview with the ''
Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung
The ''Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung'' (''WAZ'') is a commercial newspaper from Essen, Germany, published by Funke Mediengruppe.
History and profile
''Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung'' was founded by Erich Brost and first published 3 April ...
Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung
The ''Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung'' (''WAZ'') is a commercial newspaper from Essen, Germany, published by Funke Mediengruppe.
History and profile
''Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung'' was founded by Erich Brost and first published 3 April ...
'', published: 20 August 2012, accessed: 21 August 2012
Publications
* ''Claus-Peter Bach'': ''Rugby Verständlich Gemacht'',
* ''Claus-Peter Bach'': ''100 Jahre Deutscher Rugby-Verband'', , Gehrden, Schroeder-Druck & Verlag GbR, 2000