Tribute: René Ziegler (1925-2020)

Brigadier René Ziegler, a dedicated volunteer who served the Modern Pentathlon movement in a variety of administrative roles, has died aged 94.

René led Pentathlon Suisse for many years as President, and he was also a member of the Technical Committee of the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne et Biathlon (UIPMB) and Modern Pentathlon President with the International Military Sports Council (CISM).

René was a highly decorated military officer who commanded a weapons training centre in his home town of Brugg and later became director of Switzerland’s Federal Agency for Rescue Troops.

After retiring from military service in 1987, alongside his involvement in Modern Pentathlon he spent eight years as Secretary General of the Fédération Equestre Internationale (FEI) under the presidency of HRH Anne, the Princess Royal, of Great Britain.

One newspaper tribute described the Brigadier as a vigorous enthusiast for sport, a model citizen and family patriarch, who lived until the end with his artist wife Elsbeth in an apartment in the old town of Brugg - with 50 steps and no elevator.