Status: 08/30/2021 6:24 p.m.
Whether the soccer world championship, the Olympic Games or athletics competitions: Wolf-Dieter Poschmann was present at all sporting events for ZDF. Now he has died at the age of 70.
The former ZDF sports director Wolf-Dieter Poschmann is dead. As ZDF announced, the former journalist died last Friday after a short, serious illness. Poschmann was 70 years old.
“For more than 30 years he was one of the defining faces and one of the memorable voices of many sports programs in the Second”, ZDF editor-in-chief Peter Frey praised the athletics expert.
For decades, Poschmann was part of the regular ZDF line-up at major events such as the Olympic Games, soccer world championships and athletics competitions. He was best known as the moderator of the “Current Sports Studio”. From 1994 to 2011, the former middle and long-distance runner ran 230 times through the TV classic.
Poschmann was part of ZDF’s regular cast at major events such as the Olympic Games for decades.
Image: dpa
Poschmann criticized developments in sports journalism
Poschmann first came to ZDF in 1986 through an internship and then became a freelancer in the main sports department. Two years after his permanent position, Poschmann moved to the post of sports director. He had to hand this over in 2005. This was justified with the necessary separation of administrative and journalistic tasks. Poschmann became a sports reporter.
He ended his career after the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio. Farewell to retirement was easy for him. “The reporting in general has become brighter, smoother and less controversial,” criticized Poschmann at the time. “I don’t find it difficult to let go.”