Why I love and respect China as much as I do

The sporting and organizational success of the recent Olympic Games in Beijing, unanimously recognized by international public opinion, inspires me to share with readers the origins of and reasons for my long friendship with the Chinese people.

In the full swing of democratic transition, King Juan Carlos I appointed me as Spain's ambassador to the Soviet Union and Mongolia in 1977, the first Spanish representative in Moscow since the reestablishment of diplomatic relations with the then USSR. I cannot conceal that this assignment enabled me to consciously prepare for my election to the Presidency of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) once Lord Killanin, the then president, had announced that he did not intend to stand for re-election.

My experience in Moscow was exciting: the city and its authorities were immersed in the process of organizing the Games of Olympiad, held in July 1980, and the Soviet capital was constantly hosting IOC members following the organizational work.