Image: Thomas Rieger will take over the Standards Council

European Health and Fitness Association (EHFA), has appointed Dr Thomas Rieger as the new chair of its Standards Council.

He replaces Dr Alfonso Jiménez, who announced earlier this year that he was taking a new posting as the head of the School of Sports & Exercise Sciences at Victoria University, Melbourne, Australia.

Rieger holds a doctoral degree in social sciences with a specialization in sport science from the University of Tübingen and a Master Degree in Public Health.

In 2007 he was appointed professor of sport management at the Business and Information Technology School - BiTS (Laureate International Universities).

Riegler said: "I'm honoured to have ben given this responsibility at a time that EGFA is accelerating standards development work, particularly at higher levels and in areas of chronic disease and how fitness can play an icnreasing role in promoting the benefits of health-enhancing physical activity and exercise.

"I've a very capable Standards Council who will be helping with this work together with very may technical experts from across Europe and around the world."