Olympic Order for Richard Pound

Olympic Order for Richard Pound

by Philip Barker

Richard Pound, Honorary Member of the International Olympic Committee and ISOH Executive Committee representative has been invested with the Olympic Order as the IOC Session in Costa Navarino came to a close.

He received the insignia from President Thomas Bach.

“From the many years of working together and learning from you, I have gotten to know your always brilliant intellect,” Bach said as he delivered the citation.

“At the same time, you always speak your mind with no uncertainty or hesitation, this was the case even in very difficult circumstances. Nobody but really nobody ever came even close to accusing you of being a diplomat, this made life for you and us your colleagues not always  easy, but your outstanding contribution to the Olympic movement was never in doubt,” Bach said as he delivered the citation.

Pound competed at the 1960 Rome Olympics as a swimmer and had spoken at the 1973 Congress in the Bulgarian resort of Varna, whilst still Secretary of the Canadian Olympic Association.

It was in Varna that the idea of an Olympic Order was first announced.

Later, Pound was co-opted as an IOC member at the Athens Session in 1978.

“There is a certain circularity in my Olympic involvement,” he admitted.

A barrister, Pound worked with fellow lawyer Bach on what was originally known as the IOC Juridical Commission. He later served on the IOC Executive Board, as a Vice President and ran for the Presidency itself in 2001.

Pound was a major figure in negotiating broadcast deals and led the reform process after the Salt Lake City scandal. He was also the founding President of the World Anti Doping Agency(WADA).

“We are facing period of international challenge and uncertainty, but it is not the first time and we will get through this I’m sure with the kind of progress that we are used to and being united in support of the Olympic movement,” Pound continued.

“As a wise wrong is wrong even if everybody’s doing it and right is right even if no-one is doing it, so let’s stay here and keep making progress.”

The Olympic Order was also presented to Dr Uğur Erdener (TUR), Marisol Casado (ESP), Zaiqing Yu (CHN), International Volleyball Federation President Ary da Silva Graça (BRA), and Valérie Fourneyron (FRA) of the International Testing Agency.

As the session came to a close, Paris 2024 Organising Committtee President Tony Estanguet took the oath to become an individual IOC member.

Mementos were also presented to Nicole Hoevertsz (ARU), Denis Oswald (SUI), and Robin Mitchell (FIJ) as they stepped down from the Executive Board.

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