Robert Fulda

Robert Ferdinandovich Fulda (Russian: Роман Фёдорович Фульда; 18 April 1873 – 16 February 1944), was a Russian sports and flight enthusiast who is considered as the "pioneer of Russian sport".

Life

Fulda was born into a family of German merchants, who emigrated to Russia in the mid-19th century. Fulda graduated from the Moscow University as a lawyer, but was not interested in practicing his profession.

As an athlete, he was mostly interested in tennis and football. Fulda was one of the pioneers of Russian football and the founder of Sokolniki Sports Club. In 1904, he translated the rules of association football and later organized the Moscow Football League. At the 1912 Summer Olympics, he was the assistant coach of the Russian Empire national football team. In 1914, Fulda became the manager of the national team and was also elected as the chairman of the All-Russian Football Union.

Fulda was also interested in flight. He was the President of Sports Club of the Moscow Imperial Aeronautics Society and Stephan Ivanovitch Osoviecki was vice-President. In 1913 they arranged a reception for the French aeronauts, Rumpelmayer and Marie Goldschmidt who had travelled over 2,400 km by balloon from Paris.

After the 1917 Russian Revolution, Fulda fled to Germany and later settled in Switzerland.

References

1. Princely Abbey of Fulda
2. Russian Empire national football team
3. KS Orekhovo
4. Fulda Gap (game)
5. Rudolf of Fulda
6. Marie Goldschmidt
7. Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Matches
8. Saint Sturm
9. Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Consolation tournament
10. Football at the 1912 Summer Olympics – Men's team squads
11. German Bishops' Conference
12. Einhard
13. Henry, Margrave of the Franks
14. Robert J. Baer
15. Hersfeld Abbey
16. Rabanus Maurus
17. Georg von Kopp
18. Adolf Hitler
19. Robert Kronfeld
20. Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart