Samaranch the Francoist Fascist

Samaranch, the son of wealthy Barcelona textile family, has headed the IOC for the last 19 years.
Samaranch joined Spain's fascist movement in his teens and was appointed that country's Sports Minister by General Franco in 1966.
He remained a loyal Francoist until the dictator's death in 1975 and two years later was made ambassador to Russia--a position he used to establish contacts with Soviet sporting bureaucrats, thus securing the votes he needed to be elected IOC president in 1980