The M.O.C. up until 1996 - 1983-1992
Article Index
1983 - 1992
The end of 1983 was marked by an event:H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince Albert, recently elected President of the Monegasque Swimming Federation, was officially welcomed as a new ex officio member of the M.O.C. on 22nd December.
22nd December 1983:M.O.C. Meeting at its headquarters in Rue des Iris.
Pictured with H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince Albert (from left to right)D. Sartore, A. Vatrican, A. Romagnan, Dr. C. Bernasconi, D. Réalini, Y. Lambin, Mr H. Rey, Dr. L. Orecchia, D. Ravera, F. Boisson, P.L. Auréglia, A. Forcherio (responsible for the Secretariat), and E. Pizzi.
As 1985 began to unfold, Monegasque sport was to take on a new dimension. On 25th January, H.S.H. Prince Rainier, accompanied by the Sovereign Family and in the presence of H.E. MrSamaranch, President of the I.O.C., opened the new Louis II Stadium.This exceptional sports complex would enable the Principality to organise extremely high level events.
Louis II Stadium – in the right corner, the current headquarters of the Monegasque Olympic Committee
Four weeks later, the M.O.C. set up its new headquarters there on the 5th floor of the “athletes” entrance.This is where the M.O.C. welcomed two new members on 5th March:Gérard Battaglia, representative of the Monegasque Sailing Federation and Bernard Fautrier, Vice-President of the Monegasque Athletics Federation.
On 7th May 1985, H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince Albert was invited to visit the I.O.C. headquarters in Lausanne. He was received by H.E. Mr Samaranch, the Mayor of the City and the President of the Canton de Vaud.A few weeks later, while the I.O.C. held its 90th Session in Berlin, H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince Albert was unanimously co-opted as a member of the august assembly.
In June 1988, as preparations were underway in Korea for the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince Albert received the visit of MrSlavkov, President of the Bulgarian Olympic Committee and member of the I.O.C.Mr Slavkov had come to present the candidature of the city of Sofia for the organisation of the 1994 Winter Olympics.
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H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince Albert accompanies H.S.H. Prince Rainier III to Lausanne, who is presented with the insignia of the Gold Olympic Order on 18th July, which he had been awarded by the I.O.C. at the 93rd Session in Calgary. |
Following the speech of thanks during which H.S.H. Prince Rainier III stressed the importance of sport in the world and particularly in the Principality, H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince Albert unveiled the bronze sculpture offered to the I.O.C. by the Monegasque Olympic Committee.
The work, created by the Monegasque artist, Emma de Sigaldi, represents two female “relay runners”, a symbol of women’s sport passing on the token of friendship, harmony and peace. The work was designed for the new Olympic Museum, opened in June 1993, on the occasion of the 100th Session of the I.O.C.
At the beginning of July 1989, the French-speaking community gave a superb demonstration of unity by gathering together in Morocco at the opening of the 1st Francophone Games.The M.O.C. immediately delegated its Secretary General, Dr Louis Orecchia, to the Games, who took 2 athletes to Casablanca to participate in the sports event (Céline Leclerc in the 400 m and Frédéric Choquard in the 110 m hurdles) as well as a painter, Hubert Clérisi, who took part in the cultural competition.
8th July 1989 – the Monegasque delegation on parade in the Mohammet V Stadium, join the forty or so countries invited to take part in the first Francophone Games
At the end of the summer 1989, the Hereditary Prince Albert travelled to the Caribbean to take part in the I.O.C. Session which was being held in San Juan in Puerto Rico.
Following the re-election of H.E. Mr Samaranch for a further four years as President of the I.O.C., the “Olympic Family” proceeded to select the town that would host the 101st Session in 1993.Monaco was elected on the first ballot with 43 votes.This was a great honour for the Principality which had already hosted the 26th Session in 1927
As soon as Monaco had been selected by the I.O.C. to organise the 101st Session, the Monegasque government appointed a task force.This commission had attended the 3 previous Sessions of the I.O.C. held in Tokyo (96th Session – September 1990), Birmingham (97th Session – June 1991) and Courcheval (98th Session, known as d’Albertville – February 1992).
On 21st July 1992, H.S.H. the Hereditary Prince Albert accompanied by Mr Henry Rey, Ms Yvette Lambin-Berti and MessrsG. Tonelli and G. Noghès, came to present the members of the I.O.C. holding the 99th Session in Barcelona, the details of the organisation of the next meeting in Monaco in September 1993.
