Hans Dobida

Hans Dobida (13 May 1929 – 16 January 2025) was an Austrian ice hockey administrator. Playing ice hockey and on the Austria men's national handball team in early life, he had a lengthy involvement with ATSE Graz while serving as president of the Austrian Ice Hockey Association. He helped Austria organize hosting ice hockey at the Olympic Games and the Ice Hockey World Championships; and as a member of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) council, oversaw the IIHF Continental Cup, and sat on the IIHF Inline Hockey World Championship committee. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame, the German Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, and the Slovenian Hockey Hall of Fame, and received the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria.

Early life Hans Dobida was born in Graz, on 13 May 1929. As a youth in Graz, he played both ice hockey and handball, and was a member of the Austria men's national handball team. He played for the ATSE Graz second-level team (ATUS Eggenberg) from 1950 to 1954, and served as head of section at ATSE Graz from 1947 to 1977. and became the first team based in Styria to win the national championship.

Austrian Ice Hockey Association Dobida became vice-president of the Austrian Ice Hockey Association in 1962, then took over as its president in 1977, when Walter Wasservogel moved on to international ice hockey. During this time, he served on the organizing committees when Austria hosted the 1964 and 1976 Winter Olympics; and the Ice Hockey World Championships in 1967, 1973, 1977, 1987 and 1996. He was also chairman of the 1970 IIHF European U19 Championship Group B hosted in Austria. He retired as president of the Austrian Ice Hockey Association in 1996, and was succeeded by Dieter Kalt Sr. After retirement, he remained in an advisory role with ATSE Graz as of 2019.

In addition to his work with the Austrian Ice Hockey Association, Dobida was secretary of the Austrian Olympic Committee from 1989 to 1997. He later served on the IIHF council from 1986 to 2008, and was its treasurer from 1998 to 2008. and participated in its strategic consulting group. He was inducted into the IIHF Hall of Fame in 2007, in the builder category. The induction ceremony took place at the 2007 IIHF World Championship in Moscow. He was given the Panathlon International Award in 2011, as a founding member of Club Graz. He was also an honorary member of the Austrian Olympic Committee, and was a recipient of the "Gold Medal" class of the Decoration of Honour for Services to the Republic of Austria.

Personal life Dobida studied civil engineering, then was employed by an insurance company following in his father's work.

Dobida died on 16 January 2025, at age 95.