अंतर्राष्ट्रीय ओलंपिक समिति के अध्यक्ष

अंतर्राष्ट्रीय ओलंपिक समिति के अध्यक्ष कार्यकारी बोर्ड के प्रमुख होते हैं, जो अंतर्राष्ट्रीय ओलंपिक समिति (आईओसी) के प्रशासन और उसके मामलों के प्रबंधन की समग्र जिम्मेदारी संभालते हैं। आईओसी कार्यकारी बोर्ड में अध्यक्ष, चार उपाध्यक्ष और दस अन्य आईओसी सदस्य शामिल होते हैं; बोर्ड के सभी सदस्यों का चुनाव गुप्त मतदान द्वारा बहुमत से किया जाता है।

आईओसी आधुनिक ओलंपिक खेलों का आयोजन करती है, जो हर दो साल में आयोजित होते हैं, जिनमें ग्रीष्मकालीन और शीतकालीन खेल बारी-बारी से होते हैं (प्रत्येक चार साल में)। आईओसी अध्यक्ष अधिकतम दो कार्यकाल के लिए पद पर बने रहते हैं, जिसे एक बार नवीनीकृत किया जा सकता है। दो कार्यकाल के लिए सेवारत अध्यक्ष कम से कम तीन ग्रीष्मकालीन ओलंपिक खेलों और तीन शीतकालीन ओलंपिक खेलों के आयोजन का नेतृत्व करेंगे।
अध्यक्ष
शुरू में यह तय किया गया था कि खेलों की मेजबानी करने वाले देश का मुख्य प्रतिनिधि आईओसी अध्यक्ष का पद संभालेगा। हालांकि, इस विचार को जल्द ही त्याग दिया गया। 130 से अधिक वर्षों के दौरान, केवल 10 व्यक्तियों को संगठन का नेतृत्व करने के लिए चुना गया है, जिनमें से दसवें व्यक्ति जून 2025 में पदभार ग्रहण करेंगे। आज तक, केवल बेल्जियम को ही एक से अधिक बार इस पद को संभालने का सौभाग्य प्राप्त हुआ है।

  चित्र नाम कार्यकाल मूल देश पदभार ग्रहण पद छोड़ा कार्यकाल 1 100px डेमेट्रियोस विकेलस 28 जून 1894 10 अप्रैल 1896 1 वर्ष, 287 दिन  2 100px पियरे डी कूबर्टिन 10 अप्रैल 1896 28 मई 1925 29 वर्ष, 48 दिन  3 100px हेनरी डी बैलेट-लाटूर 28 मई 1925 6 जनवरी 1942  (पद पर रहते हुए निधन) 16 वर्ष, 223 दिन  4 100pxजोहान्स सिगफ्रिड एडस्ट्रॉम 6 जनवरी 1942  6 सितंबर 1946 6 सितंबर 1946  15 अगस्त 1952 4 वर्ष, 243 दिन (कार्यवाहक)  5 वर्ष, 344 दिन  5 100px एवरी ब्रुंडेज 15 अगस्त 1952 11 सितंबर 1972 20 वर्ष, 27 दिन  6 100px माइकल मॉरिस 11 सितंबर 1972 3 अगस्त 1980 7 वर्ष, 327 दिन  7 100px जुआन एंटोनियो समरंच 3 अगस्त 1980 16 जुलाई 2001 20 वर्ष, 347 दिन  8 100px जैक्स रोगे 16 जुलाई 2001 10 सितंबर 2013 12 वर्ष, 56 दिन  9 100px थॉमस बाच 10 सितंबर 2013 23 जून 2025 11 वर्ष, 286 दिन  10 100px किर्स्टी कोवेंट्री 23 जून 2025 वर्तमान पदाधिकारी  

 डेमेट्रियोस विकेलस (1894-1896) 
बैरन डी कूबर्टिन ने 1892 में यूनियन डेस सोसाइटेस फ्रांसेस डे स्पोर्ट्स एथलेटिक्स की पांचवीं वर्षगांठ के सम्मेलन में ओलंपिक खेलों को पुनः शुरू करने का प्रयास किया था। यद्यपि उन्होंने जनता का उत्साह तो जगाया, लेकिन वे उचित प्रतिबद्धता स्थापित करने में सफल नहीं हुए।Llewellyn Smith, Olympics in Athens, 677

उन्होंने 1894 में होने वाले अगले सम्मेलन में अपने प्रयासों को दोहराने का निर्णय लिया, जिसमें शौकिया खेलों के मुद्दे पर खुलकर चर्चा की जाएगी, साथ ही ओलंपिक खेलों को पुनः स्थापित करने का भी अप्रत्यक्ष उद्देश्य होगा। जिन सात बिंदुओं पर बहस होनी थी, उनमें से छह शौकियापन से संबंधित थे (परिभाषा, अयोग्यता, सट्टेबाजी आदि) और सातवां बिंदु खेलों को पुनः स्थापित करने की संभावना से संबंधित था। कूबर्टिन ने अपने सम्मेलन को अंतर्राष्ट्रीय आयाम देने का भी प्रयास किया।

डी कूबर्टिन को कई हस्तियों का समर्थन प्राप्त हुआ: बेल्जियम के लियोपोल्ड द्वितीय; वेल्स के राजकुमार एडवर्ड सप्तम; ग्रीस के युवराज कॉन्स्टेंटाइन प्रथम; इंग्लैंड के श्रॉपशायर में वेनलॉक ओलंपियन खेलों के संस्थापक विलियम पेनी ब्रूक्स; और गणित और भौतिकी के प्रोफेसर और कॉलेज के प्रधानाचार्य इओनिस फोकियानोस। फोकियानोस ग्रीस में खेल के समर्थकों में से एक थे;Llewellyn Smith, Olympics in Athens, 79–81 उन्होंने 1875 में इवांगेलोस ज़प्पा द्वारा प्रायोजित ज़प्पा ओलंपिक खेलों की एक श्रृंखला का आयोजन किया था, और 1888 में उन्होंने पैन-हेलेनिक जिम्नास्टिक क्लब के संस्थापक के रूप में एक विशिष्ट और निजी खेलों का आयोजन किया था।Llewellyn Smith, Olympics in Athens, 61 आर्थिक कारणों से और अपने नए कॉलेज के निर्माण को अंतिम रूप देने के कारण फोकियानोस पेरिस नहीं जा सके। इसके बजाय, डी कूबर्टिन ने पेरिस में ग्रीक समुदाय के सबसे प्रतिष्ठित प्रतिनिधियों में से एक, डेमेट्रियोस विकेलस से संपर्क किया और उन्हें सम्मेलन में भाग लेने के लिए आमंत्रित किया।Llewellyn Smith, Olympics in Athens, 88 एथेंस को 1896 के ग्रीष्मकालीन ओलंपिक खेलों की मेजबानी के लिए मंजूरी दी गई थी, क्योंकि ग्रीस ओलंपिक का मूल घर था (776 ईसा पूर्व से 393 ईस्वी तक ओलंपिया में), और विकेलस को आईओसी के पहले अध्यक्ष के रूप में विधिवत चुना गया था।

 पियरे डी कूबर्टिन (1896-1925) 
पियरे डी कूबर्टिन ने आईओसी की अध्यक्षता तब संभाली जब डेमेट्रियोस विकेलस ने अपने देश में ओलंपिक के बाद पद छोड़ दिया। अपनी प्रारंभिक सफलता के बावजूद, ओलंपिक आंदोलन को कठिन समय का सामना करना पड़ा, क्योंकि 1900 खेल (डी कूबर्टिन के अपने पेरिस में) और 1904 खेल दोनों को विश्व प्रदर्शनी — 1900 में एक्सपोज़िशन यूनिवर्सले और 1904 में लुइसियाना परचेज़ एक्सपोज़िशन — ने पीछे छोड़ दिया और उन्हें बहुत कम ध्यान मिला।

1906 के अंतर्विभाजित खेलों ने गति को पुनर्जीवित किया, और ओलंपिक खेल सबसे महत्वपूर्ण खेल आयोजन बन गए। डी कूबर्टिन ने 1912 के ग्रीष्मकालीन ओलंपिक के लिए आधुनिक पेंटाथलॉन की शुरुआत की, 1913 में ओलंपिक ध्वज और ओलंपिक रिंग बनाए, और 1915 में स्विट्जरलैंड के लॉज़ेन को आईओसी के स्थायी घर के रूप में चुना। उन्होंने 1924 के ग्रीष्मकालीन ओलंपिक के बाद पद छोड़ने की घोषणा की, जो 1900 में पेरिस में हुए पहले प्रयास की तुलना में कहीं अधिक सफल साबित हुआ, और 1925 में बेल्जियम के हेनरी डी बैलेट-लाटूर ने आईओसी अध्यक्ष के रूप में उनका स्थान लिया।

डी कूबर्टिन 1937 में अपनी मृत्यु तक आईओसी के मानद अध्यक्ष बने रहे।

 हेनरी डी बैले-लाटूर (1925–1942) 
हेनरी, कॉम्टे डी बैले-लाटूर को 1925 में आईओसी अध्यक्ष चुना गया, जब आधुनिक ओलंपिक आंदोलन के संस्थापक, बैरन डी कूबर्टिन ने मानद अध्यक्ष बनने के लिए पद छोड़ दिया था। बेल्जियम के इस कॉम्टे ने 1942 में अपनी मृत्यु तक आईओसी का नेतृत्व किया, जिसके बाद उनके उपाध्यक्ष जे. सिगफ्रिड एडस्ट्रॉम ने उनका स्थान लिया।

जोहान्स सिगफ्रिड एडस्ट्रॉम (1942-1952)
जब 1942 में आईओसी अध्यक्ष हेनरी डी बैलेट-लाटूर का निधन हुआ, तो स्वीडिश उद्योगपति जोहान्स सिगफ्रिड एडस्ट्रॉम ने द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध की समाप्ति तक कार्यवाहक अध्यक्ष के रूप में कार्यभार संभाला। द्वितीय विश्व युद्ध के बाद उन्हें औपचारिक रूप से आईओसी अध्यक्ष चुना गया। युद्ध के बाद ओलंपिक आंदोलन को पुनर्जीवित करने में उन्होंने महत्वपूर्ण भूमिका निभाई।

1931 में, एडस्ट्रॉम लॉस एंजिल्स में आयोजित होने वाले 1932 के ग्रीष्मकालीन ओलंपिक में फिनलैंड के दिग्गज धावक पावो नुरमी के भाग लेने पर प्रतिबंध लगाने के विवादास्पद निर्णय में शामिल थे, क्योंकि आईओसी नुरमी को एक पेशेवर एथलीट मानती थी। इसका फिनलैंड और स्वीडन के संबंधों पर नकारात्मक प्रभाव पड़ा, क्योंकि नुरमी अपने देश में एक प्रसिद्ध राष्ट्रीय नायक थे।

एडस्ट्रॉम 1952 में आईओसी के अध्यक्ष पद से सेवानिवृत्त हुए और उनके उत्तराधिकारी एवरी ब्रुंडेज बने।

 Avery Brundage (1952–1972) 
Avery Brundage became vice-president of the IOC in 1945 and was subsequently elected president in 1952, at the 47th IOC Session in Helsinki, succeeding J. Sigfrid Edström. While he was being considered for this honor, Brundage fathered two sons with a woman to whom he was not married; in order to avoid a political scandal, he requested that his name be kept off the birth certificates.

During his tenure as IOC president, Brundage strongly opposed any form of professionalism in the Olympic Games. Gradually, this opinion became less accepted by the sports world and other IOC members, but his opinions led to some embarrassing incidents, such as the exclusion of Austrian skier Karl Schranz from the 1972 Winter Olympics. Likewise, he opposed the restoration of Olympic medals to Native American athlete Jim Thorpe, who had been stripped of the medals when he was found to have played semi-professional baseball before taking part in the 1912 Summer Olympics (where he had beaten Brundage in the pentathlon and decathlon). Despite this, Brundage accepted the "shamateurism" from Eastern Bloc countries, in which team members were nominally students, soldiers, or civilians working in a non-sports profession, but in reality were paid by their states to train on a full-time basis. Brundage claimed that it was "their way of life". Thorpe's amateur status was restored by the Amateur Athletic Union in 1973, following Brundage's retirement. The IOC officially pardoned Thorpe in 1982 and ordered that his medals be presented posthumously to his family. After his death in 1975, it was revealed that Brundage had notified the IOC that Thorpe had played semi-professional baseball years before.

Brundage also opposed anything that he viewed as politicizing sport. At the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City, U.S. sprinters Tommie Smith and John Carlos raised their fists to show support for the Black Power movement during their medal ceremony. Brundage ordered the USOC to expel both African-American men from the Olympic Village and have them suspended from the U.S. Olympic team. When the USOC refused, he threatened to ban the entire U.S. Olympic team. However, Brundage made no objections against Nazi salutes during the Berlin Olympics.

He may be best remembered for his decision during the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany, to continue the Games following the Black September Palestinian terrorist attack which killed eleven Israeli athletes. While some criticized Brundage's decision—including L.A. Times columnist Jim Murray, who wrote "Incredibly, they're going on with it. It's almost like having a dance at Dachau"—most did not, and few athletes withdrew from the Games. The Olympic competition was suspended on 5 September for one complete day. The next day, a memorial service of eighty thousand spectators and three thousand athletes was held in the Olympic Stadium. Brundage gave an address in which he stated:

Brundage strongly opposed the exclusion of Rhodesia from the Olympics due to its racial policies. After the attacks in Munich, Brundage drew a comparison between the massacre of the Israeli athletes and the barring of the Rhodesian team, for which he later apologized.

Brundage is also remembered for proposing the elimination of all team sports from the Summer Olympic Games, fearing that the Games would become too expensive for all but the wealthiest nations to host; he also proposed the elimination of the Winter Olympic Games entirely due to its association with commercialism.

Brundage retired as IOC president after the 1972 Summer Games, having held the post for twenty years, and was succeeded by Lord Killanin.

 Michael Morris (1972–1980) 
Michael Morris, 3rd Baron Killanin was elected as Honorary President of the Olympic Council of Ireland (OCI) in 1950, and became the Irish delegate at the IOC in 1952. He eventually became senior vice-president of the IOC in 1968, and succeeded Avery Brundage to the presidency on 23 August 1972, being elected at the 73rd IOC Session in Munich, just prior to the 1972 Summer Olympics.Olympic Review, N59, October 1972, p. 355, available online

The Olympic Movement experienced a difficult period during his presidency, having to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy at the 1972 Munich Games and the financial failure of the 1976 Montréal Games. Due to limited interest from potential hosts, the cities of Lake Placid, New York and Los Angeles, California were chosen to host the 1980 Winter Games and the 1984 Summer Games, respectively, in the absence of any competing cities.

Baron Killanin resigned prior to the 1980 Summer Olympics in Moscow, after the massive political boycott of those Games in protest of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, but retained his position until the Games were completed.

 Juan Antonio Samaranch (1980–2001) 
Juan Antonio Samaranch (who was later created the 1st marquess of Samaranch) was elected President of the IOC on 16 July at the 83rd IOC Session in Moscow, that was held prior to the 1980 Summer Olympics—between 15 and 18 July 1980.Olympic Review, N154, August 1980, pp. 410–412, available online He officially assumed presidency at the end of the Moscow Olympics.

During his term, Samaranch managed to make the Olympic Movement financially healthy, with big television deals and sponsorships. Although the 1984 Summer Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc countries, a record number of athletes participated in those Games, and the number of nations with an IOC membership and participating increased at every Games during his presidency. Samaranch also wanted the best athletes to compete in the Olympics, which led to the gradual acceptance of professional athletes.

One achievement of Samaranch has undoubtedly been the financial rescue of the IOC, which was in financial crisis in the 1970s. The games themselves were such a burden on host cities that it appeared that no host would be found for future Olympiads. Under Samaranch, the IOC revamped its sponsorship arrangements (choosing to go with global sponsors rather than allowing each national federation to take local ones), and new broadcasting deals which brought in much money.

Criticism
Also during his tenure as IOC president, Samaranch insisted that he be addressed with the title of "Excellency", a title used for heads of state and government (the title of Excellency is, however, also used to address Grandees of Spain, and he was a Spanish Marquis and Grandee since late 1991). In addition, when he traveled to conduct Olympic business, he would insist on a chauffeured limousine as well as a presidential suite in the finest hotel of whatever city he visited. The IOC put an annual rental (at a cost of US$500,000 per year) at a presidential suite for his stays in Lausanne.

Besides his lavish accommodations, he was increasingly criticized for the judging and doping scandals and rampant corruption that occurred under his watch. A closed-door inquiry later expelled several IOC members for accepting bribes but cleared Samaranch of wrongdoing. Samaranch declared that the IOC's worst crisis was over but a group of former Olympic athletes, led by Mark Tewksbury, continued to push for his removal.

It became a tradition for Samaranch, when giving the president's address at the close of each Summer Olympics, to praise the organizers at each Olympiad for putting on "the best ever" Games.Simon Kuper, "Beijing strikes gold in the propaganda Olympics", Financial Times, 29 September 2007, p. 10."The Coca Cola Olympics", The Irish Times, 5 August 1996, p. 15.

 Jacques Rogge (2001–2013) 
Jacques Rogge (later created The 1st count Rogge) was elected as president of the IOC on 16 July 2001 at the 112th IOC Session in Moscow as the successor to Juan Antonio Samaranch, who had led the IOC since 1980.

Under his leadership, the IOC aimed to create more possibilities for developing countries to bid for and host the Olympic Games. Rogge believes that this vision can be achieved in the not too distant future through government backing and new IOC policies that constrain the size, complexity and cost of hosting the Olympic Games.

At the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics, Rogge became the first IOC president to stay in the Olympic village, to enjoy closer contact with the athletes.

During the opening ceremonies of the 2010 Vancouver Olympics, Rogge delivered a commemoration of Georgian luge athlete, after his fatal accident while practicing in Whistler on 12 February 2010.

Rogge retired at the end of the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires and was appointed to the lifetime position of Honorary President of the IOC. Rogge died on 29 August 2021 at the age of 79.

Controversies
For the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, Rogge stated in mid-July 2008 that there would be no Internet censorship by the mainland authorities: "For the first time, foreign media will be able to report freely and publish their work freely in China." However, on 30 July 2008, IOC spokesman Kevan Gosper had to retract that statement, admitting that the Internet would indeed be censored for journalists. Gosper, who said he had not heard about this, suggested that high IOC officials (probably including the Dutch Hein Verbruggen and Swiss IOC executive director Gilbert Felli—and most likely with Rogge's knowledge) had made a secret deal with Chinese officials to allow the censorship, without the knowledge of either the press or most members of the IOC. Rogge later denied that any such meeting had taken place, but did not insist that China adhere to its prior assurances that the Internet would not be censored.

Rogge commented that Usain Bolt's gestures of jubilation and excitement after winning the 100 meters in Beijing are "not the way we perceive being a champion," and also said, "that he should show more respect for his competitors." In response to his comments, Yahoo Sports columnist Dan Wetzel, who covered the Games, described him as "...a classic stiff-collared bureaucrat," and further contended that "[the IOC] has made billions off athletes such as Bolt for years, yet he has to find someone to pick on." In an interview with The Irish Times reporter Ian O'Riordan, Rogge clarified, "Maybe there was a little bit of a misunderstanding. [...] What he does before or after the race I have no problem with. I just thought that his gesticulation during the race was maybe a little disrespectful."

He rejected calls for a minute of silence to be held to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the 1972 Munich Games attack during the opening ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics, despite the standing request of the families of the 11 Israeli Olympic team members who were held hostage and murdered by the Palestinian group Black September. Calls for such a commemoration marking 40 years since the massacre had also come from Jewish organizations worldwide and politicians from the United States, Israel, Canada, Italy, Australia, and Germany. He and the IOC instead opted for a smaller ceremony in London that took place on 6 August, and one at Fürstenfeldbruck Air Base on the 40th anniversary of the attack, 5 September.

 Thomas Bach (2013–2025) 
Thomas Bach was elected President of the IOC on 10 September 2013, as the successor to Jacques Rogge, at the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires. He made his first appearance at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Russia's Sochi and was one of the IOC presidents to take part in other sporting events being held.

 किर्स्टी कोवेंट्री (2025-वर्तमान) 
किर्स्टी कोवेंट्री को 20 मार्च 2025 को ग्रीस के पाइलोस में आयोजित 144वें आईओसी सत्र में थॉमस बाख के उत्तराधिकारी के रूप में आईओसी का अध्यक्ष चुना गया। वह पहली महिला और पहली अफ्रीकी आईओसी अध्यक्ष हैं। उन्होंने इटली के मिलान में आयोजित 2026 शीतकालीन ओलंपिक में अपनी पहली उपस्थिति दर्ज की।

 संदर्भ