Lord Killanin Biography

Lord Killanin

sixth president of the International Olympic Committee who guided the organization through the turbulent tragedies of the 1970s between the reigns of Avery Brundage and Juan Antonio Samaranch; his eight-year term began in 1972, shortly after the massacre of Israeli athletes and coaches at the Munich Olympics; his moderate views on amateurism were a refreshing change from Brundage and led to eligibility reforms; began as Ireland's representative to the IOC in 1952 and moved up to senior vice president to Brundage in 1968; began his career as a journalist and political columnist in London from 1935-39; served in WWII and discharged as a major in 1945.