Samaranch back in Sydney after wife’s funeral

Sydney: International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch arrived back in Sydney on Wednesday after attending the funeral service in Barcelona for his wife Maria Teresa Salisachs.

Samaranch landed at Sydney airport at 1730 local time (0630 GMT) and was met by Australia's Olympics Minister Michael Knight and Australian IOC vice-president Kevan Gosper.

The IOC president said, "I'm happy to be back. I felt I needed to get back as soon as possible. I'm looking forward to seeing some competition."

IOC officials said the 80-year-old Samaranch would chair the Games's daily coordination committee meeting early on Thursday and would also conduct a brief meeting of the IOC executive board.

Samaranch's wife, who was 69, died early on Sunday as he was flying home from Sydney after learning that her condition had worsened. He attended her funeral on Monday.



(c) Reuters Limited.