IOC Member Anita DeFrantz & Olympic Villages

Since the 1996 Olympic Games, I've crossed paths with International Olympic Committee Member Anita DeFrantz a few times: During the Atlanta Games and their "one year later" celebrations, at Olympic media events, USOC or Olympic bid functions and most recently at the LA84 XXV celebration in Los Angeles.

DeFrantz shared a few minutes to describe her part in shaping the Olympic Villages of the LA Games (see video), and some of her remarks in California relate back to her answers at an Around The Rings Newsmaker Breakfast event in Beijing last summer (also on the video) held at the McDonald's on the Olympic Green.

During the Q&A with Around The Rings publisher Ed Hula and U.S. Olympians chief Willie Banks (a three-time Olympian and part of the Atlanta Olympic Village leadership team), DeFrantz answered questions about how each Olympic organizing committee can succeed by creating a pro-athlete environment at their Olympic Villages and venues.

Her work on the Villages for 1984 definitely remains part of the Olympic Village experience for each Games since.

Headshot photo via International Olympic Committee / Olympics.org bio for Anita DeFrantz