Henri de Baillet-Latour
Count Henri de Baillet-Latour | |
|---|---|
 | |
| 3rd President of the International Olympic Committee | |
| In office 1925–1942 | |
| Preceded by | Pierre de Coubertin Godefroy de Blonay (Acting) |
| Succeeded by | Sigfrid Edström |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1 March 1876 Brussels, Belgium |
| Died | 6 January 1942 (aged 65) Brussels, Belgium |
Count Henri de Baillet-Latour (in French: Henri, comte de Baillet-Latour; March 1, 1876 – January 6, 1942) was a Belgian aristocrat and the third president of the International Olympic Committee.
Biography
De Baillet-Latour became a member of the IOC in 1903 and later co-founded the Belgian Olympic Committee. He was one of the organisers of the 1920 Summer Olympics in Antwerp, awarded the previous year. Despite the short notice and Belgium's condition following the recently ended First World War, the Games were considered a success.[citation needed]
De Baillet-Latour was elected IOC President after the founder of the modern Olympic Movement, Pierre de Coubertin, became Honorary President in 1925. He led the IOC until his death in 1942, when he was succeeded by Vice-President Sigfrid Edström.
In June 1939 the IOC voted unanimously in favour of Germany organising the 1940 Winter Games, replacing Japan that had returned the right to organise the 1940 Games. He argued that the decision in favour of Nazi Germany that had occupied the Czech rump state three months before showed the IOC's independence of political influences.
References
External links
Media related to Henri de Baillet-Latour at Wikimedia Commons
