Former IOC vice-president He Zhenliang dies aged 85

By Nick Butler

China's former International Olympic Committee (IOC) vice-president He Zhenliang, a chief architect behind the Beijing 2008 Olympics, has died aged 85.

Considered "Mr Olympics" in his native country, he was considered the most influential Chinese sporting administrator in history, a key bridge connecting Chinese sport with the rest of the world who remained an IOC honorary member until his death.

A longstanding ally of former IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch, He was elected to sport's biggest club in 1981 and has remained influential ever since, with current President Thomas Bach among those paying tribute today.

He rose to the Executive Board four years later and became vice-president in 1989, remaining there until 1993.

In total he served 18 years on the Executive Board, chairing the Cultural Commission between 1995 and 1999 and taking a leading role in steering the IOC through the growth of its TOP sponsorship programme, as well as its recovery from the Salt Lake City corruption scandal.

He also served five years as President of the Chinese Olympic Committee.

In addition, he had spells as head of the Chinese Athletics Association, Chinese Rowing Association, Asian Rowing Association and the East Asian Games Association.

He Zhenliang, pictured during the IOC Session in Moscow in 2001, where Beijing was awarded the 2008 Olympic Games ©Bongarts/Getty Images

But it is for the first Chinese Olympics he will be best remembered, serving on the Organising Committee's Executive Board after playing what was seen as a crucial role in the successful bid.

He formed part of the presentation team at the IOC Session in Moscow in 2001 where Beijing were awarded the Olympics ahead of Toronto, Paris, Istanbul and Osaka.

He was earlier involved, to a lesser extent, in the unsuccessful bid for the 2000 Games, where Beijing was narrowly beaten by Sydney by 45 votes to 43.

"Mr He was a man of culture and art," said Bach, who overlapped with him for three years on the Executive Board.

"He was a true advocate of the social values of sport and of our Movement and I would like to pay tribute to the passion and energy he deployed over the years to fulfill his mission as an IOC member in China.

"He also helped our Movement better understand his country, its people and outstanding culture.

"The Olympic Movement has lost one of its most fervent ambassadors.

"For me personally he showed me true friendship and gave me invaluable advice from my very early days as an IOC member, I will always remember this with great gratitude."

He Zhenliang's death follows the demise of three IOC honorary members - Ibraham Diallo of Guinea, Dame Mary Glen-Haig of Great Britain and Tay Wilson of New Zealand - in 2014 ©Getty Images

Born in Wuxi in Jiangsu Province in 1929, He Zhenliang was an engineer by trade, before joining the Communist Party of China in 1954.

Soon after that he was transferred to the Government's fledgling Sports Commission, and played a key role in China's 30 year reintegration into international sport after the country quit the IOC in 1958 in reaction to the continued recognition of Taiwan.

In 1988 he was elected to the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference and five years after that he joined the Standing Committee of CPPCC and became vice commissioner of Physical Education and Sport.

He received an Olympic Order in 2009, one year before he graduated from IOC member to honorary member status after passing his 80th birthday.

His family revealed his death at a hospital in Beijing this afternoon.

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