Juan Antonio Samaranch, the 89-year-old former president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), has died, the IOC said on Wednesday. 'The International Olympic Committee (IOC) was deeply saddened to learn today of the death of Juan Antonio Samaranch,' read a statement from the IOC.
Juan Antonio Samaranch, who steered the Olympic movement through two turbulent decades marked by political boycotts, bribery and drug scandals plus a greater emphasis on commercialism, died at the age of 89.
Bach, an Olympic fencing champion in 1976, steps down from his post this year after 12 years in charge. He will hand over on June 23 to the new president, to be elected on March 20.
'Nobody in the Olympic landscape should conclude that because I had a mandate in World Athletics... that this is a one-size-fits-all. That I suddenly walk straight into the (IOC) office in Lausanne next week and tell everybody they are taking prize money.'
Kirsty Coventry smashed through the International Olympic Committee's glass ceiling to become the organisation's first female and first African president in its 130-year history.
Coming from a humble family at a time when tennis was considered a sport only for the upper classes in Spain, Santana became a stalwart of the country's Davis Cup team, amassing a 69-17 win-loss record in singles between 1958 and 1973. He also won the tournament at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico, where tennis was a demonstration event.
The International Olympic Committee's financial reserves edged close to one billion dollars in 2012 up from just $105 million (67 million pounds) when outgoing president Jacques Rogge took over 12 years ago, he said in his final report on Sunday.
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