Vitaly Smirnov, renowned sports official who helped bring the Summer Universiade to Russia for the first time in 1973, receives the Jean Petijean Medal for his contribution to university sports
FISU President Oleg Matytsin (left) presenting Vitaly Smirnov with the Jean Petitjean award for his decades advancing sporting opportunities
MOSCOW – On Friday, FISU President Oleg Matytsin bestowed FISU’s highest award, the Jean Petitjean Medal, to Vitaly Smirnov, for his decades of work advancing sport.
Since presiding over the XXII Olympiad Moscow 1980 as the organising committee executive president, the former swimmer, water polo player and boxer has been one of the most prominent figures within the Olympic Movement. With 44 years of service in the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Vitaly Smirnov is second longest-serving active member in the Committee’s history. His time within the IOC included three terms as IOC Vice-President.
FISU President Oleg Matytsin remarking on the impact of Vitaly Smirnov’s efforts within sporting circles last Friday during Mr Smirnov’s 85th birthday celebrationMr Smirnov was behind much of the Soviet Union and Russia’s sporting success. As First Vice-Minister of Sport of the USSR, he supervised the preparation to the 1973 Summer Universiade in Moscow before presiding over the 1980 Summer Olympics. He then went on to lead Soviet sports as the Head of the State Committee for Sports. In 1990-1992 he was President of the Olympic Committee of USSR; after the creation of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC), he led it from 1992 to 2001. He has been Honorary President of ROC ever since.
On Friday, Vitaly Smirnov celebrated his 85th birthday. All of the Russian sports leadership got together on this day in Luzhniki Olympic Complex in Moscow to celebrate the occasion.
Further to the vote by FISU Executive Committee to bestow Jean Petitjean Medal on Vitaly Smirnov, FISU President Oleg Matytsin presented the award to the hero of the day. Mr Matytsin reminded the collection of sports leaders of the common roots of the Olympic and University sports movements that were founded by the two collaborators, Pierre de Coubertin and Jean Petitjean, respectively. The FISU President also highlighted Mr Smirnov’s ever-lasting support of the university sports movement in Russia, which was key to the success of Soviet and Russian student athletes in FISU events.
Jean Petitjean Medal was not the only award that Mr Smirnov received on that day. On behalf of IOC President Thomas Bach, IOC First Vice-President Ugur Erdener bestowed the Olympic Order, the highest award of the Olympic Movement, to Mr Smirnov.