Breaking News, World News and Taiwan News.

Updated Saturday, November 14, 2009 2:18 pm TWN, AFP

Ex-French Olympics chief Serandour dies

PARIS -- Henri Serandour, the former president of the French national Olympic committee (CNOSF), died on Thursday at the age of 72 after a long illness, it was announced here. Serandour, who was also a former head of the French swimming federation, was CNOSF president from 1993 to May 2009 when he handed power to Denis Masseglia, a vice-president. He was also a member of the IOC until 2007.

Serandour had a colourful and controversial career at the CNOSF. He was shattered by France's failure to win the right to host the 2012 Olympics and caused controversy in 2008 when he opposed moves by French athletes to wear badges calling for “a better world” at the Beijing Games.

In 2006, Serandour was handed a three-month suspended prison sentence for conflicts of interest. Serandour, also fined 20,000 euros, was found guilty of having made two transactions on behalf of the CNOSF with a communications company for which his wife, former champion swimmer Catherine Poirot, worked.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

Share

Print

Email


Sponsors
▪	Buy china wholesale products from reliable chinese wholesalers on DHgate.com!
▪	Save 70% for hotel in Shanghai and 6000 hotels, in Beijing, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and all China.
▪	Get the best deals for Guangzhou Hotels or choose from more than 10,000 hotels in 499 Chinese cities.
▪	Find great real time deals on China Flights. Book flights to China or China domestic flights 24/7.