Mario Vázquez Raña

Mario Vázquez Raña was an IOC Member from Mexico who was co-opted onto the IOC in 1991. He became one of the most powerful IOC Members, and the most powerful administrator ever in the Pan American Sports Organization (PASO). Vázquez Raña competed in shooting as a youth, as did his brother, Olegario, who also became an IOC Member in 1995, and who had competed in shooting at the Olympics from 1964-76. Another brother, Abel, also competed as a shooter at the 1964 Olympics.

Mario Vázquez Raña entered sports administration in shooting, serving as President of the Mexican Shooting Federation from 1969-74 and then as President of the American Shooting Confederation from 1973-79. He became a member of the Mexican Olympic Committee in 1972 and succeeded to the Presidency in 1974. He was President of the Organizing Committee for the 1975 Pan American Games and that year became President of PASO, serving in that role until his death, or almost 40 years. In 1979 he also was named President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), only stepping down in 2012. On the IOC Vázquez Raña was best known for his role in Olympic Solidarity, serving on that commission from 1979 until his death, and serving as vice-chairman and deputy chairman. He was also a member of the Olympic Movement Commission and the Apartheid and Olympism Commission (1990-92).

Vázquez Raña’s business career was as a newspaperman, serving as President and director-general of Organización Editorial Mexicana, the leading newspaper company in Latin America. He was also President of the Board of Directors of the Hermanos Vázquez Company from 1960-80. From 1986-88 he was President of United Press International (UPI).