In 1980, Samaranch became president of the IOC and began 21 years of leadership in the world's top sports organization. As the IOC president, Samaranch has made great contributions to the Olympic Games. In 1988, he successfully broke up political division in the Olympic family and persuaded almost all the 167 countries to participate in the Summer Games in Seoul, South Korea. He later restored the world's confidence in the IOC, by expelling6 six of its members for involvement in the Salt Lake City scandal. In July 2001 when the IOC awarded the 2008 Olympic Games to Beijing, Samaranch stepped down as IOC president after 21 years of dedicated service. The following was an interview with Samaranch on the eve of Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Correspondent: Mr President, what were your dreams as a young boy?
Samaranch: My dreams, when I was very, very young， was sport. I practiced sport and I wanted to be a very good athlete, but that was not possible and after some years, I began to be an official in sport and bit by bit, I arrived7 to become President of the International Olympic Committee.
C: You played many sports; you played soccer, roller hockey8.
S: Yes.
C: Skiing, I think you even won a table tennis tournament.
S: Yes.
C: Was there one sport that you saw9 yourself being an Olympian?
S: Maybe the sport that I like very much in the summer Olympics is track and field. Track and field is the king of sports during the summer games.
C: So you thought maybe you could be the Carl Lewis of the Olympics?
S: Yes, the Spanish Carl Lewis.
C: When you were an ambassador10 in Moscow, you were representing one country. Now as the IOC President, you are representing 200 countries. How do you do that? On a day-to-day11 basis, you are dealing with many people, different religions， different politics, different social standings12. How do you pull all of that together?
S: It's very easy. It's not very easy. Yes, all the people get involved in sport, you can speak with different races, different religions, different political systems, well, that is not so important. I think the common language, the common understanding is the sport.
C: You said yourself that you have lived for a very long time. You have lived through all sorts of changes. You've met many, many people. Who are the people that have most impressed you, the people you admire most?
S: Well, as a politician or a head of state or Prime Minister, maybe Indira Ghandi13. Indira Ghandi was a fantastic lady, she was a mix of Indian and British culture. She was really fantastic. As athletes, many, many, but I have a great sympathy for Sebastian Coe14.
C: Why?
S: Because he's a very good man, was a fantastic athlete and today, as always when we need him he's helping us. He's always on our side and really I admire him very much.
C: Do you have a favorite Olympic moment?
S: Well, maybe the closing ceremony in my city in Barcelona, because I was closing not only the games in my city, Barcelona, I was also closing the best games in all the Olympic history.
C: Did you cry?
S: No.
C: Most people when they stand in the opening or the closing ceremony, they can't help but cry because it is so emotional. What sort of feelings did you have?
S: I understand very well but I cannot cry in this moment.
C: If you could only see one event at the Sydney Olympics, which event would that be?
S: The opening ceremony.
C: And why is that?
S: Because the opening ceremony is something very important, it's to put all the people in the world together in this Games. The Games represent a movement of friendship and solidarity15 and also peace, you know, and I think it's quite important.
C: Mr president, thank you for your time.
S: Thank you.
President Samaranch＇s main achievements during his 21 years as IOC President include:
* The IOC＇s fight against apartheid16
* Promotion of women＇s participation in the Olympic Movement and Olympic Games
* Development of the Olympic Games programme
* Intensification17 of the fight against doping18
* Growth and unification19 of the Olympic Movement
* Modernization and reform of the IOC
1980年，萨马兰奇当选为国际奥委会主席，开始了在全球最高体育机构长达21年的领导工作。作为国际奥委会主席，萨马兰奇对奥林匹克运动做出了卓越的贡献。1988年，他成功地打破奥运大家庭中的政治分歧，说服了几乎所有167个会员国参加在韩国汉城举行的夏季奥运会。他把与盐湖城丑闻有牵连的六名委员开除出国际奥委会，重树了各国对奥委会的信心。2001年7月国奥会把2008年奥运主办权授予北京，就在此时萨马兰奇从他任劳任怨服务了21年的主席职位上荣退。以下是2000年悉尼奥运会前夕萨马兰奇接受记者采访时的谈话。
记者：主席先生，您童年时的梦想是什么？
萨马兰奇：在很小很小的时候，我的梦想就跟体育紧密相连。我参加体育锻炼，希望成为一名优秀的运动员，但这不太可能实现。过了一些年，我开始做体育官员，然后一步一步地成功当选为国际奥委会主席。
记：您从事过许多运动，如足球和曲棍球。
萨：是的。
记：还有滑雪。我记得您甚至在一次乒乓球锦标赛中获过冠军。
萨：是的。
记：您从前希望自己成为哪一个项目的奥运会选手？
萨：在夏季奥运会上我很喜欢的项目也许是田径。田径是夏季奥运之王。
记：那么您也许认为您可以成为奥运会上的另一个卡尔·刘易斯？
萨：对，成为西班牙的卡尔·刘易斯。
记：当您还是驻莫斯科的大使时，您代表的是一个国家。现在作为国际奥委会的主席，您代表的是200个国家。您是如何做到这一点？您每天和很多人打交道，他们有着不同的宗教信仰、不同的政见、不同的社会地位。您如何让他们走到一起？
萨：很容易，也不那么容易。是的，全世界的人都参与体育运动，你可以和不同种族、不同宗教、不同政治体制的人打交道，但这并不是最主要的。我认为共同的语言、共同的理解还是体育。
记：您自己曾说您活过了很长的岁月，经历了各种各样的变化，遇到过许多许多的人。那么您印象最深，最佩服的是哪些人？
萨：在政治家、国家元首或总理当中，也许是英迪拉·甘地。英迪拉·甘地是一位非常了不起的女士，她是印度文化和英国文化的完美结合。她真的很了不起。在运动员当中，我佩服的有很多很多，但我比较偏爱塞巴斯蒂安·科。
记：为什么？
萨：他是一个非常优秀的人，一个杰出的运动员。如今他仍在一如既往地帮助我们，当我们需要他的时候，他总是毫不犹豫。他总是站在我们这一边，我非常钦佩他。
记：您最留恋的奥运会精彩一瞬间是什么？
萨：也许是在我的家乡巴塞罗那举行的闭幕式，因为我所宣布闭幕的不仅仅是在我的家乡举行的奥运会，也是奥运史上最出色的一届奥运会。
记：您哭过吗？
萨：没有。
记：当大多数人参加奥运开幕式或闭幕式的时候，都会情不自禁地流泪，因为太激动人心了。您当时是什么感觉？
萨：我完全理解这种情绪，但在那个时刻我不能哭。
记：如果在悉尼奥运会上您只能看一项赛事，您会看哪一项呢？
萨：开幕式。
记：为什么？
萨：因为开幕式有着十分重要的意义，它要把全世界的人团结在奥运旗帜下。你知道，奥运会是一场代表友谊、团结以及和平的运动。这一点非常重要。
记：主席先生，谢谢您抽时间接受采访。
萨：谢谢。
萨马兰奇担任国奥会主席21年所取得的主要成就：
* 领导国际奥委会同种族隔离进行斗争
* 促进妇女参与奥林匹克运动和奥运会
* 制定奥运会章程
* 加大反兴奋剂的斗争力度
* 促进奥林匹克运动的发展与统一
* 促进国际奥委会的现代化与改革
Profile （档案）
Born: 17th July 1920 in Barcelona
Languages: Spanish, French, English, some Russian and German
Education: Higher Institute of Business Studies, Barcelona
Higher Diploma1 in Business Studies
Hobbies: art, sports and philately2
Sports practiced: hockey, boxing, football
Marital status: married to Maria Teresa Salisachs－Rowe (deceased3),
with two children
IOC4: Member of the IOC since 1966
Head of Protocol (1968－1975, 1979－1980)
Member of the Executive Board5 (1970－1978, 1979－)
Vice－president of the IOC (1974－1978)
President of the IOC (1980－2001)
1． diploma n．文凭
2． philately n．集邮, 集邮的兴趣
3． deceased adj．已故的
4． IOC: International Olympic Committee 国际奥委会
5． Executive Board: 执委会
6． expel v．驱逐, 开除
7． arrive v． 成功
8． roller hockey n．曲棍球
9． see v． 预见，想象
10．ambassador n．大使
11．day－to－day: 日常的
12．standing n．身分
13．Indira Ghandi:英迪拉·甘地，印度前总理，曾就读于英国牛津大学。为印度第一任总理尼赫鲁之女，死于锡克族人谋杀。
14．Sebastian Coe: 英国运动员，1，500米两届奥运金牌得主。他创造了中跑所有项目的世界纪录，被誉为“中跑之王”、“冠军中的冠军”。
15．solidarity n．团结
16．apartheid n．种族 隔离
17．intensification n．强化
18．dope v．服兴奋剂
19．unification n．统一