Victor Boin

Boin was part of the Belgian water polo teams that finished second in 1908 and third in 1912. In 1908 he also participated in the 100 metre freestyle swimming competition, but was eliminated in the first round.[1]

As a fencer he finished fourth in the individual épée competition in 1912. In 1920 he was eliminated in the first round of the individual épée event, but won a silver medal in the team épée event.[1]

Boin delivering the first Olympic Oath, Antwerp, 1920.

Boin took the first ever Olympic Oath at the 1920 Games in Antwerp, where he was also the Belgium flag bearer at the Opening Ceremony. Later, between 1955 and 1965, he served as president of the Belgian Olympic Committee.[1][2]

Boin was also active in ice skating, flying, ice hockey, and motorcycle racing. In 1903, aged 17, he founded the first Belgian ice hockey club and became its first president.[1][2]

Boin worked as a sports journalist, theater critic and sports official. In 1912 he founded the Belgian Professional Association of Sports Journalists, and headed it from 1923 to 1935.[2] In 1924 co-founded the International Sports Journalists' Association; he served as its first vice-president, and later became its president.[1]

During World War I he joined the Belgian Air Force, eventually becoming the personal pilot of the Elisabeth of Bavaria, Queen of Belgium.[1][2]

• List of Olympic medalists in water polo

• Duweiz, Yves (June 2000). "Victor Boin - Jacques Ochs: Deux hommes de leur temps" [Victor Boin - Jacques Ochs: Two Men of Their Time]. Avions: Toute l'Aéronautique et son histoire (in French) (87): 48–53. ISSN 1243-8650.
• Wallechinsky, David and Jaime Loucky (2008). The Complete Book of the Olympics - 2008 Edition. London: Aurum Press, Limited. pp. 607, 1050.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Victor Boin.

• Victor Boin at International Olympic Committee
• Victor Boin at Olympic Channel
• Victor Boin at Olympedia
• Victor Boin at databaseOlympics.com (archived)