Former president of the Association of National Olympic Committees Mario Vazquez Rana Dies at 82

Mario Vazquez Rana, long-time IOC member and former president of the Association of National Olympic Committees, has passed away at age 82.

Vazquez Rana was a member of the IOC from 1991 to 2012 and held positions that included executive board member and president of the organizing committee for the 114th IOC session in Mexico City. He also served for 10 years as chairman of Olympic Solidarity, which organizes assistance for all the National Olympic Committees.

“Mario Vazquez Rana dedicated a great part of his life to Olympic sport,” said IOC President Thomas Bach. “He served decades with great commitment as president of the Pan American Sports Organization, even until his last moments. He had outstanding merit within the Olympic movement and we will always remember him as a great Olympic leader. The Olympic flag at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne will be flown at half-mast in his honor.”

In 1975, Vazquez Rana was named chairman of PASO, a position he held until his death. Aside from sports administration, Vazquez Rana was also a prominent businessman and publisher, serving as president and director general of the Organizacion Editorial Mexicana, the largest newspaper company in Latin America. He also owned United Press International from 1985 to 1988.