CALGARY Reuter: Britain’s Princess Royal, daughter of Queen Elizabeth, has been elected to membership of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the IOC announced.
The Princess Royal, formerly Princess Anne, replaces 82yearold Lord Luke as one of Britain’s two members. Lord Luke submitted his resignation to the IOC on Wednesday
The Princess, one of five new members is due in Calgary to attend the XV the Winter Olympics.
As a member of the IOC, the Princess Royal, 37 will maintain the Olympic Governing Body’s blue blooded line stretching back to Baron Pierre De Coubertin of France who founded the modern Olympic movement in 1894.
A successful three day equestrian competitor, she took part in the 1976 Montreal Olympics and won a silver medal in the European championships in 1975,
Her husband, Captain Mark Phillips, was a member of the British team which won the three day event gold medal at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
The Princess Royal, widely regarded as one of the most active and effective of the Royal family, is President of the British Olympic Association and last year succeeded her father Prince Philip as President of the International Equestrian Federation.
“We need more people like her,” said Robert Helmick, himself President of the US. Olympic Committee and the International Swimming Federation.
“She will lend prestige and credibility to the work of the IOC. With her background as a competitor she will also contribute a great deal of valuable experience,” Helmick added. The Princess Royal is widely known for her charity work for disadvantaged children and the disabled.
She has been a headline maker all her life, and recently stirred a controversy within the International Egestrian Federation by criticizing its effectiveness.
IOC sources said the combination of the Princess Royal and British athlete Sebastian Coe would go a long way towards restoring. Britain’s influence in the corridors of sporting powers.
Other newly elected members ChingKuo Wu of Taiwan, a member of the International Amateur Boxing Federation, Ram Ruhee of Mauritius, a member of the International Football Federation, Fidel Mendoza Carrasquilla, a member of Colombia’ National Olympic Committee and Tay Wilson, a former New Zealand National rowing champion:
Article extracted from this publication >> February 19, 1988