Eric Leme Walther Maleson (born August 11, 1967) is the founder and president of the Brazilian Ice Sports Federation

Brazilian Ice Sports Federation

The Brazilian Ice Sports Federation was founded by Eric Maleson, Brazil's first Bobsled athlete. CBDG was established in 1996 and affiliated to the Brazilian Olympic Committee in 1999...

 (affiliated to the Brazilian Olympic Committee

Brazilian Olympic Committee

The Brazilian Olympic Committee or BOC is the highest authority in Brazilian sport and the governing body of Brazilian Olympic sport. It was officially founded on June 8, 1914 but World War I caused its official activities to begin only in 1935...

 in 1999). He was born in Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...

, Brazil

Brazil

Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...

. Maleson is Brazil's first bobsled pilot having competed at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games

2002 Winter Olympics

The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event that was celebrated in February 2002 in and around Salt Lake City, Utah, United States. Approximately 2,400 athletes from 77 nations participated in 78 events in fifteen disciplines, held throughout...

 in Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, Utah

Salt Lake City is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Utah. The name of the city is often shortened to Salt Lake or SLC. With a population of 186,440 as of the 2010 Census, the city lies in the Salt Lake City metropolitan area, which has a total population of 1,124,197...

 (4-man bobsled event), has served on the International Luge Federation (FIL) Development Committee (2002–2006), and is also a member of the International Bobsled & Skeleton Federation's (FIBT) Court of Arbitration (2006–2010).

Maleson was voted one of the top ten most influential sports figures in Brazil (2002) and was the first Brazilian athlete to carry the Olympic Torch during the Salt Lake City torch relay event in Cambridge, Massachusetts, USA (December 2001).

In September 2010, Maleson was elected Vice President of Communications of the International Bobsleigh & Skeleton Federation (FIBT).

He won three career bronze medals at America’s Cup bobsled races (2000, 2001, 2002).