Henri de Baillet-Latour

His Excellency
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 (1876-03-01)1 March 1876
Brussels, Belgium
Died 6 January 1942(1942-01-06) (aged 65)
Brussels, Belgium
Nationality Belgian

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

Count de Baillet-Latour, standing between Hitler (right) and Hess, is attending the opening ceremony of the 1936 Winter Olympics.

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.

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

Civic offices
Preceded by
Belgium Pierre de Coubertin
Switzerland Godefroy de Blonay (Unofficial)
President of the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
19251942
Succeeded by
Sweden Sigfrid Edström
Preceded by
Sweden Sigfrid Edström
President of Organizing Committee for Summer Olympic Games
1920
Succeeded by
France Pierre de Coubertin
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