Richard Pound

In 1960, he represented Canada in swimming at the Olympic Games in Rome. He subsequently joined the Canadian Olympic Committee, first as a board member and later as president from 1977 to 1982. Two-time vice-president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), he also chaired the IOC’s Coordination Committee for the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta.

His contribution to promoting the international reputation of Montréal has been invaluable. He is the founder of the World Anti-Doping Agency, based in Montréal. He served as president of the agency from 1999 to 2007. He also played a leading role in keeping the agency’s headquarters in Montréal until 2031, enabling the city to remain the world leader in the fight against doping in sport.

Thanks in part to his efforts and those of the Canadian Olympic Committee as a whole, and encouraged by Mayor Jean Drapeau, Montréal was chosen as the host city of the 1976 Olympic Games. More than four decades later, Richard Pound continues to be very active in the Montréal community. He lent his expertise as founding president of ESIM (Excellence sportive de l’Île de Montréal), whose mission is to contribute to the development of high performance sport in Montréal.

His brilliant career, his keen sense of integrity and his dedication have earned him numerous honours. Named an Officer of the Order of Canada and Queen’s Counsel by the federal government in 1992, he was promoted to Companion of the Order of Canada in 2014. He is also an Officer of the Ordre national du Québec.

A graduate of McGill University, Richard Pound has held top posts at the university, including chair of the Board of Governors from 1994 to 1999 and Chancellor from 1999 to 2009. He has been Chancellor Emeritus since 2002. McGill University established a scholarship in his honour for his remarkable commitment.

The recipient of a Doctor of Laws honoris causafrom several Canadian universities, Richard Pound was awarded the Medal of the Montréal Bar in 2017, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the cause of justice. He was also named to Time magazine’s 100 most influential people in the world for his relentless efforts in the fight against doping in sports.