Michel was elected President at the FITB General Assembly of 2000 in Geneva Switzerland. Michel is the co-inventor of tchoukball working with Dr Hermann Brandt, the creator of tchoukball, and provides a direct link to the ethos and educational values of the sport. Michel was a key organiser in the Geneva 2000 World Championships which rejuvenated tchoukball and for the first time hosted teams from 3 continents with Brazil participating. Working with Daniel Buschbeck, future FITB President, Michel's contributions paved the way for a new generation of players, organisers and officials to take tchoukball forward.
Working as a football coach in Switzerland in the late 1960s, Michel became aware of Dr Brandt's research into sports injuries and his huge experience in the field of sports science. Dr Brandt introduced Michel to tchoukball and after a series of meetings, they produced the beginnings of the sport we know today. Tchoukball was developed in a series of iterations - at first, the rebound surface was a wall! The wall was replaced with a frame and a straight line with a semi-circular 'D'.
Michel's practical sports experience was no doubt a major factor in the success of tchoukball developing across the world. His passion and determination led to a turning point in the development of the sport. His legacy is managing the transition of tchoukball from its decline in the 1990s to the modern vibrant sport we know today.
