Lassana Palenfo

Lassana Palenfo was a career military man who studied at the National College of Financial Administration in Paris, the Coëtquidan and Saint-Maixent Military School in France, the Paris School of Social Sciences, and the Paris Institute of Administration and Management. He eventually became a military general in Côte d’Ivoire, but with that pursued political goals as well. He was Deputy Director of Military Legislative Affairs at the Ministry of Defence (1964-67), Director of Financial Affairs and Defence Ministry Programmes (1977-1982), Army Inspector (1982-1983), Minister for Security (1991-1993), and the State Minister responsible for security starting in 2000.

In sports administration Palenfo was President of the Côte d’Ivoire Judo and Assimilated Disciplines Federation from 1972-91. In the African Judo Union he was successively Vice-President (1974-78) and Treasurer (1982-90), becoming President in 1990. He became Vice-President of the International Judo Federation in 1990. Palenfo also became President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa in 2005.

General Palenfo was co-opted onto the IOC in 2000 and remained on the Committee through 2012, at which time he was made an Honorary Member. He served on commissions for Women and Sport, Olympic Solidarity, and International Relations. In 1987 he was awarded the Olympic Order in Silver by the IOC.