Last Friday, the French Swimming Federation (Fédération Française de Natation, or FFN), announced the deaths of two prominent figures in French swimming: Pierre Barbit, FFN’s first National Technical Director who died at the age of 98 on August 26, and Monique Berlioux, and Olympic swimmer in 1948 and Executive Director of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) from 1975-85, who died on August 27 at the age of 91.
Barbit coached at Racing Club of France (RCF) from 1949 to 1961. During the 1950s, Barbit put three swimmers on podia at each of the French National Championships of 1957, 1958, and 1959. His most famous swimmer was Aldo Eminente, Olympic finalist in the 100m free in both 1952 and 1956. Eminente later joined Barbit as a coach at RCF.
Barbit’s collaboration with the two National Team coaches of that era, Lucien Zins and Georges Garret, elevated France to one of the top European swimming countries.
Berlioux held the title of French National Champion in the 100m back from 1941 to 1952 without interruption. She was a finalist in the event at the 1947 European Championships in Monaco, and a semi-finalist at the 1948 Olympic Games in London.
Berlioux went to work for the IOC in the 1960s; shortly thereafter she was named media chief by IOC president Avery Brundage. In 1971 Berlioux became the first female Director of the IOC, and as such was the highest-ranking woman in the world of sports. She worked under three IOC Presidents: Brundage, Lord Killanin, and Juan Antonio Samaranch. Berlioux worked well under the first two presidents and was even reputed to be the second-most powerful member of the IOC at that time. She ended up having a more difficult time working with Samaranch, however, and was forced to resign from her position as IOC Director in 1985.
Berlioux published a number of books about swimming, the Olympic Games, and the Olympic movement.