President of the International Olympic Committee that was held prior to the 1980 Summer Olympics – between 15 and 18 July 1980. He officially assumed presidency at the end of the Moscow Olympics. During his term, Samaranch managed to make the Olympic Movement financially healthy, with big television deals and sponsorships. Although the 1984 Summer Olympics were boycotted by the Eastern Bloc countries, the number of nations with a membership of the IOC and participating increased at every Games during his presidency. Samaranch also wanted the best athletes to compete in the Olympics, which led to the gradual acceptance of professional athletes. One achievement of Samaranch
LGBT athletes in the Olympic and Paralympic Games provoke social-religious hatred, which is the feature of the extremist character of the activity". As it became clear that no Pride House could take place in Sochi, a number of leading LGBT sports organisations got together to promote the idea of cities elsewhere hosting their own Pride Houses during the Sochi Olympics. Pride House Toronto, which is to be the largest Pride House ever and due to be held during the 2015 Pan American Games in Toronto, was already very advanced with its plans for a series of events during the Sochi Olympics highlighting the anti-LGBT laws and LGBT rights