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None other than the tennis legend Steffi Graf is to be an "Official Ambassador of the 2010 IIHF World Championship". This puts Steffi in an exclusive circle of not more than ten ambassadors who will be promoting the 2010 IIHF World Championship in Cologne, Mannheim, and Gelsenkirchen. Those appointed thus far include Philipp Lahm of the German national football team, Germany’s ice hockey player of the century Erich Kühnhackl, Schalke legend Olaf Thon and the popular ARD weather reporter Claudia Kleinert. Others will be appointed soon.

"Ms. Graf’s acceptance is a great honor for us and the fact that the “Athlete of the Century” will serve as ambassador underscores the significance that the 2010 IIHF World Championship has for sports in Germany and the world," responded Uwe Harnos, President of the DEB and the Organizing Committee, to the news.

Steffi Graf herself said, "I have often enjoyed ice hockey in Mannheim. The 2010 World Championship in Germany is a great thing for ice hockey and I am especially happy that Mannheim will be representing my home region as one of the venues. I am proud to be able to contribute to the success of the World Championship as an official ambassador and I am sure that the many guests and fans from Germany and abroad will make this another great sports event in Germany. Of course, the game between Germany and the US in Gelsenkirchen will be a very special ‘family affair’ for me."

Stefanie Graf is one of the most successful women athletes of all times. The list of the prizes, awards, and superlatives she has won is unmatched. In her unprecedented tennis career she won 22 Grand Slam tournaments and topped the world rankings for a total of 378 weeks. In 1988 she became the first and only tennis player in the world to win the “Golden Slam”, winning all four Grand Slam tournaments and the gold medal at the Olympics in one calendar year. In the same year, she was voted female athlete of the year. Steffi Graf has been awarded the IOC Olympic Medal of Honor and in 1999 was named “Athlete of the Century” in the category “Female Athlete in Ball Sports”.

For more information on Stefanie Graf: www.stefaniegraf.com

WM Tickets & Info: Tel. +49 621 18 19 0333,  www.iihfworlds2010.com