Dick Pound, Influential IOC Member and Canadian Olympic Swimmer, Retiring at 80

Dick Pound, Influential IOC Member and Canadian Olympic Swimmer, Retiring at 80

For more than 60 years, Dick Pound has been a central figure in the Olympic movement, including the past 44 years as a member of the International Olympic Committee. Now that he has reached the age of 80, the Canadian will retire at the end of 2022, although he will remain involved in the IOC as an honorary member.

Pound joined the IOC in 1978 and twice served as the organization’s vice president. His input was deeply valued by several president’s of the International Olympic Committee and Pound often spoke publicly on behalf of the governing body – sometimes with permission, and occasionally through his own volition. One of Pound’s leading pursuits was for clean sport, and he assumed the role of president of the World Anti-Doping Agency in 1999.

“As very much a former athlete, you never liked to lose, but you knew you couldn’t win every time,” Pound said. “But that’s all different than being cheated out of a result. That’s what offended me about doping…We make sure the athletes know that sooner or later, you’re going to get caught. We save samples for 10 years and science gets better every year.”

Pound represented Canada in the swimming competition at the 1960 Olympics in Rome, finishing sixth in the 100-meter freestyle. He was a standout in the freestyle and butterfly events for his homeland and won several national titles.

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