Zhenliang He Remembered for Dedication to China, Olympic Movement

(ATR) China is mourning the loss ofZhenliang He, the man who played a large role in raising the country's reputation on the Olympic stage.

The honorary IOC member died of illness in Beijing on Jan. 4. He was 85.

Known as "Mr. Olympics" in China, He is best remembered for his influence in returning China to the Olympic movement. He was elected to the IOC in 1981, three years ahead of the Los Angeles Olympics where the People's Republic of China competed at the Games for the first time.

US IOC member Anita DeFrantz served with He during his final term on the IOC Executive Board from 1999 to 2003.

"He had a wry sense of humor and it was a great treat to hear him laugh. He took his work for the Olympic movement very seriously. His book on his time with the Olympic movement is remarkable for his candor on the issues of the day. I will certainly miss him," DeFrantz tells Around the Rings.

In a 1999 interview with China Radio International, He told reporters that it was his lifelong dream to bring the Olympics to China.

According to CRI,"He said he wished the world to see what China had achieved after the reform and opening up through the Olympics."

He was a executive for the Beijing 2000 and 2008 bid committees in 1993 and 2001, respectively. The latter bid succeeded thanks to his passion and leadership, according toWei Jizhong, former secretary general of the Chinese Olympic Committee and a longtime colleague of He.

"His promotion for Beijing during the first bid and his valuable suggestions the second time played a big part in the success of 2008," Wei told the China Daily.

Xinhua described him as "instrumental in Beijing's successful bid for the right to host the 2008 Olympic Games."

The Beijing 2022 bid committee will honor He by dedicating their work to his memory.

"Winning the bid for the 2022 Winter Olympics was one of Mr. He's dreams," the committee said in a statement on Sunday.

"In his honor, we will spare no effort, taking real and effective actions to accomplish our mission of a successful 2022 bid."

Elected as an IOC member in 1981, He served in the role until 2010 when he became an IOC honorary member. He sat on the IOC Executive Board three times (1985-1989, 1994-1998 and 1999-2003) and served as an IOC vice president from 1989 to 1993.

"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," IOC president Thomas Bach said in a statement.

"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," Bach added.

He held a number of roles during his three decades working in the Olympic Movement.

He was deputy secretarygeneral of the Chinese Gymnastics Association, and later served as the secretary general of the Chinese Table Tennis Association and the head of the secretariat of the All-China Sports Federation.

In 1979, he was promoted to the position of deputy secretary general of the federation and the Chinese Olympic Committee. He served as the COC’s secretary general from 1982 to 1986 before becoming a vice president and then president from 1989 to 1994.

Written by Mark Bissonand Andrew Murrell

Homepage photo: Getty Images

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