Nationality Belgian Name Henri Baillet-Latour | Succeeded by Sigfrid Edstrom | |
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Preceded by Pierre de CoubertinGodefroy de Blonay (Acting) Born 1 March 1876Brussels, Belgium ( 1876-03-01 ) Similar People Ralph Fiennes, Sandor Szakacsi, Maurice Jarre, Robert Lantos | ||
Count Henri II de Baillet-Latour (in French: Henri, count of Baillet-Latour; 1 March 1876 – 6 January 1942) was a Belgian aristocrat and the third president of the International Olympic Committee.
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Family
Henri was born as son of Ferdinand de Baillet-Latour, who was Governor of Antwerp. He belonged to the last Belgian branch of the family, he only had one son: Guy, count de Baillet-Latour, who had two daughters. After his death his nephew Alfred de Baillet Latour died whitout heirs.
Career
Henri 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.