He was the Soviet national team head coach in 1972, and was expected to coach the team at the 1972 Summer Olympic games, but the KGB confiscated his passport, fearing that, since Gomelsky was Jewish, that he would defect to Israel.
He led them to their first Olympic victory in the 1972 Olympics (they beat USA in the controversial final game on a last second shot by Alexander Belov).
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He refereed in the 1964 Olympics, 1968 Olympics, 1972 Olympics (including a semi-final game in each of those) and 1976 Olympics.
He also played at the 1968 Summer Olympic Games, EuroBasket 1969, EuroBasket 1971, the 1972 Summer Olympics, EuroBasket 1973, the 1974 FIBA World Championship, EuroBasket 1975, and the 1975 Mediterranean Games.
As a member of the German national basketball team, Thimm competed at the EuroBasket 1971 and the 1972 Summer Olympics.
He worked at the 1960 Olympics, 1964 Olympics, 1968 Olympics and 1972 Olympics (including final games in 1960, 1968 and 1972), 1971 Women's World Championship, 1967 Pan American Games and 1971 Pan American Games.