Spanish politician and businessman, Samaranch, Juan Antonio: biography, family and interesting facts

In the late seventies of the Olympic movement was on the verge of collapse. Conduct of the Game was a loss for the host country, and large cities were not eager to spend a lot of money on sporting events. However, in the most critical moment at the head of the International Olympic Committee stood up to Juan Antonio Samaranch. A supporter of the fascist dictator, the world champion on hockey, the possible KGB agent, Marquis - the life story of this man as if copied from the pages of an adventure novel

Stormy youth

Samaranch Juan Antonio was born in 1920 in Barcelona into a wealthy family of textile Industrialists. The future head of the Olympic movement were childhood friends with the sport and with great success was a hockey player. But, of course, no ice hockey, and its variant, where players instead of skates chase around the court on roller skates.

The Beginning of the biography of Juan Samaranch coincided with the tragic and bloody pages in the life of Spain. In the thirties in the country civil war broke out, and soon the 18-year-old hockey player was drafted into the Republican army. Juan Antonio Samaranch did not accept this invitation and fled to France. There he decided that he prefer the idea of the dictator Franco, and after a short time returned home, joining the phalanx of evil General.

The Republic came to an end, with the powerful military support of Germany, General Franco suppressed the resistance, and Samaranch Juan Antonio decided to pursue his education and enrolled in Barcelona's school of business.

Sports achievements

The Native of Barcelona was a very versatile man, with the success of combining several types of activities. Samaranch, Juan Antonio did not leave classes, roller hockey, and in addition worked as a journalist for the sports newspaper "La Prensa». An ardent fan of FC «Barcelona», he could not ignore the resounding defeat of his beloved team Madrid «real» with a score of 11:2. On the pages of his newspaper, Samaranch made fierce criticism of the club of Madrid, for which he was immediately dismissed.

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After Completing his career as a sports journalist, he plunged into the family business and has achieved great success in the textile business.

However, Juan isn't over with sports. He continued to play hockey, and after an active career he became a coach. With Samaranch Spain for the first time in history managed to win the world title, winning in 1951, the undefeated of the Portuguese. The team subsequently another 15 times became the strongest on the planet and the source of these victories was the future head of the IOC.

Politician and sports official

The Irrepressible Spaniard is not limited to the feats in the arena and decided to try their hand in sports management at the highest level. From 1955 to 1962, Samaranch Juan Antonio held the post of curator of the municipal Council of Barcelona on sports. Not without success, he participated in the political life in the whole of Spain. For ten years, Samaranch met in the lower house of Parliament. In 1966 he was appointed Chairman of the national Olympic Committee.

However, everything comes to an end, and in 1977, die General Franco, long-time supporter who was a native of Barcelona. In the country restored democracy, and former supporters of the dictator began to banish from the political life of the state. Not escaped this fate and Samaranch Juan Antonio.

He was appointed Spanish Ambassador in the Soviet Union, which practically meant the link from the country. With the Soviet Union, Spain only after Franco's death restored diplomatic relations, and Juan Antonio Samaranch faced a severe and thankless job in establishing relations with former enemies. However, he brilliantly coped with their work and three years of diplomatic work has won many Russian friends and acquired a wide circle of acquaintances. It even gave a reason to say the many foes of the Spaniard that he had been recruited as KGB agents during his diplomatic work in Moscow.

Climbing to the top of mount Olympus

Despite all the troubles at home, Samaranch Juan Antonio continued to enjoy enormous prestige in MoCA. In 1974, he became Vice-President of the International Olympic Committee and was considered one of the most influential sports officials.

Fruit brought diplomatic work Samaranch. At the next IOC session in Moscow shortly before the Olympics he was elected President of this organization, ahead of Willie Daume from Germany. The Spaniard was elected largely thanks to the support of the Soviet Union, which provided him with the voices of the countries of the socialist camp.

Reformer

Samaranch inherited a difficult legacy from the previous administration. The IOC had serious financial difficulties, the Games were losing, and the international Olympic movement was on the verge of collapse.

However, the skilled businessman has made a real revolution in the world of sport organizations. He made the IOC Autonomous financially, managed to sell television rights to broadcast the Games, made a proposal to expand the Olympic program competition. It led towhat the Olympics have become successful economic projects that are profitable and host country and the IOC.

Thanks to Samaranch, the audience was able to finally see at the Olympics, world football stars, when in 1988 resolved a conflict between the IOC and FIFA, and on Games in Seoul were able to participate many famous players. In the era of Samaranch, a basketball competition, team USA basketball, composed not of students and NBA players.

Paradoxically, many detractors accused Samaranch of his merits, blaming him for excessive commercialization of the Games and killing the Olympic spirit. However, the legendary sports figure with dignity performed his difficult duties until 2001, after which he resigned, remaining a lifelong honorary President of the IOC.

Family

In 1955, politician and businessman, he married Maria Teresa Salisachs. During the long years of marriage he became the father of two children. Samaranch, Juan Antonio Jr. followed in the footsteps of his father and became a prominent sports official. He is a member of national and international Olympic committees and Vice-President of the International Federation for sports pentathlon.

The Title of Juan Antonio Samaranch – the Marquis, but for the world Olympic movement, he became a true Emperor.