- Adriaan Paulen
Adriaan "Adje" Paulen (
October 12 ,1902 ,Haarlem –May 9 ,1985 ,Eindhoven ) was a Dutch athlete who competed from 1917 to 1931. DuringWorld War II , he was part of theDutch resistance in the Netherlands. Following World War II, Paulen became a sports official, becoming president of theInternational Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF —International Association of Athletics Federations since 2001), serving fom 1976 to 1981.porting career
Competing in three
Summer Olympics , Paulen earned his best finish of seventh in the 800 m event atAntwerp in 1920. [Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Track & Field (Men): 800 Meters". In "The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition". London: Aurum Press Limited. pp. 87–88.] [ [http://www2.sport.nl/olympischarchief/show.php3?namm=Paulen&pgr=0 Sport.nl profile of Paulen.] nl icon — accessed July 24, 2008.] In 1925, he became first of over fortyworld record breakers (up to his 1985 death) in athletics atBislett stadion inOslo , setting a record in 500 m, then an official distance"Obituary: Adriaan Paulen (HOL)". In "Olympic Review". July 1985. p. 400.] Besides competing at the1928 Summer Olympics inAmsterdam , Paulen was also a member of the Organizing Committee.Stepping down from his athletic career in 1931, Paulen also participated in the
Monte Carlo Rally eight times and once competed in theDutch TT MotoGP event. In his youth, Paulen competed in football (soccer) at an international level.World War II
When
Nazi Germany invaded the Netherlands in May 1940, Paulen joined the Dutch resistance. Paulen met some of the British Army forces duringOperation Market Garden in September 1944. [http://members.home.nl/mjbtje/Paulen.htm Adriaan Paulen diary from September 16, 1944 to January 5, 1945] — accessed July 24, 2008.] Paulen kept a diary regarding Operation Market Garden and its aftermath that was released to the public in 1989, four years after his 1985 death, including meeting withUnited States Army officials during that time and would eventually be made a Colonel in the US Army.porting official
Following the end of World War II, Paulen played a key role in rebuilding the IAAF in 1946. He also served as president from the Dutch Athletic Committee (KNAU) from 1946 to 1964. [http://www.xs4all.nl/~dimaroan/avh/hhh/top1002.html Haarlem Track Club profile of Paulen.] nl icon — accessed July 24, 2008.] In 1965, Paulen served as director of the Dutch Olympic Committee, a position he held until 1970. While working for the KNAU and Dutch Olympic Committee, he also served as an official for the IAAF. Paulen's best known role as an IAAF official was at the
1972 Summer Olympics inMunich when he was responsible for the "Cata-Pole" controversy in the men'spole vault and the claim by the pole manufacturers that their poles did not containcarbon fiber even though IAAF rules stated no such requirements.Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). "Track & Field (Men): Pole Vault". In "The Complete Book of the Olympics: 2008 Edition". London: Aurum Press Limited. pp. 211–212.] This controversy had a negative impact upon competition which theUnited States would lose the pole vault gold for the first time in the Summer Olympics.Bob Seagren , who won the pole vault gold atMexico City in 1968, would finish with silver at Munich. At the end of the competition, Seagren thrusted the pole into Paulen's lap, stating he "was returning the unwanted pole back to ... [Paulen] ." Paulen succeeded David Burghley as IAAF President in 1976 and served in that position until 1981. During Paulen's tenure, he led the fight to control doping within athletics.Death and legacy
Paulen died during an operation on a broken hip in 1985. The FBK Games in
Hengelo were named in Paulen's honor from 1988 to 2000. [ [http://www.fbk-games.nl/vervolg.asp?mid=Historie&nid=&taal=en FBK history.] — accessed July 25, 2008.]References
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