Juan Antonio Samaranch

His Excellency El Marqués de Samaranch
Samaranch at the 2000 Summer Olympics
7th President of the International Olympic Committee
In office July 19, 1980 – July 16, 2001
Preceded by	The 3rd Baron Killanin
Succeeded by	The Count Rogge
Honorary President of the International Olympic Committee
In office July 16, 2001 – April 21, 2010
Preceded by	Vacant, last holder Lord Killanin (1999)
Succeeded by	Vacant, next holder The Count Rogge
Personal details
Born	(1920-07-17)17 July 1920 Barcelona, Spain
Died	21 April 2010(2010-04-21) (aged 89) Barcelona, Spain
Nationality	Spanish
Spouse(s)	María Teresa Salisachs Rowe (1955–2000; her death)
Children	Juan Antonio, María Teresa
Residence	Barcelona, Spain
Alma mater	IESE
Occupation	Sports administrator Diplomat
Religion	Roman Catholicism
Awards

Juan Antonio Samaranch y Torelló, 1st Marquis of Samaranch (Catalan pronunciation: [ˈʒwan antɔˈnjɔ samaˈɾaŋk]; 17 July 1920 – 21 April 2010), was a Spanish sports administrator and minister of sports under the Franco regime (1973–1977) who served as the seventh President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1980 to 2001. Samaranch served the second longest term as the head of the IOC, the longest being that of Pierre de Coubertin (29 years).

Juan Antonio Samaranch was born on 17 July 1920 in Barcelona as the third of six children in a family from the Catalan rich bourgeoisie. On 1 December 1955, he married Maria Teresa Salisachs Rowe. With Salisachs Rowe, he had two children: Juan Antonio Junior, currently a member of the International Olympic Committee, and Maria Teresa. In 1991 he received the title of Marqués from the King of Spain for his involvement in the Olympic Movement.

Samaranch completed his studies at the Business School of Barcelona, which he completed in London and the USA, and obtained a diploma from the Barcelona Higher Institute of Business Studies (IESE). During his studies, he practised roller hockey, for which he created World Championships in 1951 and which the Spanish team won. While managing his family's business, he became a city councillor for the City of Barcelona responsible for sport in 1954, then Delegate for Physical Education and Sport in the Spanish Parliament in 1967. Samaranch was appointed President of the “Diputación” (provincial council) of Barcelona in 1973, until he resigned four years later, when he was appointed Spanish Ambassador to the Soviet Union and Mongolia after the resumption of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Maintaining an active career within the Olympic Movement, Samaranch was elected Vice-President of the International Mediterranean Games Committee for the second edition of the Games in Barcelona in 1955. On several occasions, he was appointed Chef de Mission: for the Winter Games in Cortina d’Ampezzo (1956), the Summer Games in Rome (1960), and the Summer Games in Tokyo (1964). For the Rome and Tokyo Games, he was also President of the Spanish delegation. Elected a member of the Spanish Olympic Committee in 1956, he became its President in 1967 until 1970. He was elected as an IOC member in 1966. Two years later, Avery Brundage appointed him Head of Protocol (1968-1975 and 1979-1980). A member of the Executive Board (1970-1978, 1979-1980), he was IOC Vice-President from 1974 to 1978. Elected to the IOC presidency in the first round of voting on 16 July 1980 at the 83rd Session, he succeeded Lord Killanin on 3 August that year.