BRUNDAGE, AVERY

born Sept. 28, 1887, Detroit, Mich., U.S.

died May 8, 1975, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, W.Ger.

U.S. sports administrator.

He competed in the decathlon at the 1912 Olympic Games . He served as president of the U.S. Olympic Association and Committee 1929–53 and as vice president (1945–52) and president (1952–72) of the International Olympic Committee. Controversial and domineering, he demanded strict adherence to the rules of amateur competition, and he often dismissed political events as unrelated to Olympic competition, most notably the 1972 murder of Israeli athletes by terrorists.