King Willem-Alexander and the International Olympic Committee - Page 3

Patra · #41 01-16-2012, 09:55 AM

I wondered why the Dutch Royal family was not in attendance at Queen M's Danish jubilee celebrations. (aside from the Orman state visit scheduling conflicts)

lucien · #42 01-16-2012, 03:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Patra

I wondered why the Dutch Royal family was not in attendance at Queen M's Danish jubilee celebrations. (aside from the Orman state visit scheduling conflicts)

Because Queen Margrethe invited her Scandinavian counterparts only as well as TE The Presidents of Finland and Iceland...It was a "Nordic or Scandinavian thing with the neighbours" as was announced...That's all.

Besides that,you post this in the Prince of Orange's thread...he had/has no say in it and was in Innsbruck

royalfanvivian · #43 01-21-2012, 05:57 PM

Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in Youth Olympics in Innsbruck

lucien · #44 03-05-2012, 12:26 PM

HRH will attend the Olympic Fire Annual Congress 2012 at Sport Center Papendal,Arnhem on thursday march 8th.

The Prince of Orange is a Member of the International Olympic Committee,IOC.

**iceflower** · #45 03-08-2012, 11:45 AM

__________________

Crown Prince Willem-Alexander attended the Olympic Flame annual conference 2012 at the National
Sports Center Papendal in Arnhem today, March 8, 2012.

** ppe gallery ** anp gallery **

lucien · #46 09-05-2013, 01:32 PM

HM will attend the 125th Congres of the IOC in Buenes Aires from Friday september 6th till sunday september 8th .HM used to be a member of the IOC until he became King.

It is by invitation as a special guest by IOC President Mr.Jaques Rogge that HM will attend......and meet the in-laws in the proces no doubt....grin..

dazzling · #47 09-07-2013, 01:51 PM

Monaco's Prince Albert II (L) shakes hands with Dutch King Willem-Alexander during the 125th IOC Session in Buenos Aires, Argentina on September 7, 2013. The International Olympic Committee meets to elect the host city of the 2020 Summer Olympic Games on September 7 also will consider adding a new sport for the 2020 Olympic program and elect a new president on September 10.

daylife.com picture

**iceflower** · #48 09-07-2013, 04:14 PM

.

According to news reposts Willem-Alexander will be appointed honorary member of the IOC during the IOC Session in Buenos Aires. Here are some more pics from today:

** daylife gallery **

**iceflower** · #49 09-09-2013, 03:27 AM

.

Yesterday, September 8, IOC President Jacques Rogge presented the Olympic gold order, the highest honour, to King Willem-Alexander during an IOC session in Buenos Aires.

Here's a pic and his speech, as well as a video of the ceremony:

** nos.nl: Koning Willem-Alexander ere-lid IOC **

Tiggersk8 · #50 09-09-2013, 03:44 PM

Wow!! The Olympic Order is not something that's given to someone not worthy of receiving it. I thought it such a shame he had to step down from his work w/the IOC after ascending the Throne, as he truly did amazing work w/in the Olympic Movement. Good to know he'll still have a role in some manner.

Congratulations to His Majesty!!

**Marengo** · #51 02-08-2014, 03:52 AM

Accoriding to several well respected political pundits, the king has brought the Prime Minister in trouble. The PM has been critisized for his attendance/ the dutch high representation at the Winter Olympics. However, these pundits now say that the PM was forced to go to Sotchi to take the attention away from the king and queen. It was the king who absolutely insisted on going.

lucien · #52 02-08-2014, 10:16 AM

Nonsens!The King didn't bring anyone in trouble!As a Honorary Member of the International Olympic Committee the King was invited by the IOC to attend...as was GD Henri,Anne,Frederik,Constantine etc etc...Really,that is what I call a load of...Olympic Games are about sports,and allthough I agree in highlighting some issues while there it is NOT the main issue.The main issue is called sports and the athletes that worked their asses off to get there.That is all that counts,anything else is cheap rethorics from a cosy home behind a pc and usely by folks that are so weltfremd they haven't got a clue whats what and where and there's the magical dutch finger pointing by some who want to desperately profile themselves and by lack of acceptable input by themselves pop- up with something they've made up then and there..yeah right..Duh...Ofcourse it is to be expected that some wisecracks think they've just re-invented the wheel,but no..it has been there since thousands of years as has the rethorics over simular occasions in different parts of the world on other occasions.......No.Mark Rutte is there as PM,as are many many of his collegues and that's it!Nada mas.
Btw,Mark Rutte did as promsed and during his talks with Putin yesterday mentioned all issues icluding the anti gay laws...after the talks with Putin Mark called Gordon...( a famous over the top dutch singer and better known here as the Queen Goor....what's in a name...)..to tell him about the talks...Yeah,really a PM in trouble...nope!Far from it.

**Marengo** · #53 02-08-2014, 11:11 AM

Well, if the Dutch PM telephones with Gordon for advice, I think it is the rest of the country that is in trouble.

Ferry Mingele, Kysia Hekster and other journalists do not agree with your assesment and claim that it was the king who insisted to go to Sotchi and that forced the PM to be dragged along. I wouldn't call them weltfremd though I am sure they sit behind a computer at times. But I am glad that your sources think that they are wrong.

The nice thing about invitations is that they can be turned down. The king wasn't forced to attend. I understand that the IOC is a matter of interest to HM for the last years, but I fail to see why the Dutch delegation needs to be substantialy upgraded for particulary these Olympics.

I doubt it that the king, queen and PM waving an Orange shawl at the opening ceremony of the Olympics will have any effect on the achievements of the sporters in the next weeks btw.

lucien · #54 02-09-2014, 07:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

Well, if the Dutch PM telephones with Gordon for advice, I think it is the rest of the country that is in trouble.

Ferry Mingele, Kysia Hekster and other journalists do not agree with your assesment and claim that it was the king who insisted to go to Sotchi and that forced the PM to be dragged along. I wouldn't call them weltfremd though I am sure they sit behind a computer at times. But I am glad that your sources think that they are wrong.

The nice thing about invitations is that they can be turned down. The king wasn't forced to attend. I understand that the IOC is a matter of interest to HM for the last years, but I fail to see why the Dutch delegation needs to be substantialy upgraded for particulary these Olympics.

I doubt it that the king, queen and PM waving an Orange shawl at the opening ceremony of the Olympics will have any effect on the achievements of the sporters in the next weeks btw.

I doubt them NOT going would have changed any law in Russia.Nope.
Ofcourse A insists,he is a sportsman and in both positions,Monarch and sportsman,above politics.Always.So Kysia et tout have to do their homework first before stating something.

**Marengo** · #55 02-09-2014, 12:52 PM

There is no reason to believe the NOS reporters did not do their homework. Anyway it is water under the bridge now, let's focus on the medalists instead.

lucien · #56 02-10-2014, 02:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marengo

There is no reason to believe the NOS reporters did not do their homework. Anyway it is water under the bridge now, let's focus on the medalists instead.

True...all water under the bridge...All everyone cares about are the over the top fantastic results by the Dutch Speedskaters!!!Even Vladimir popped-in at the party at the Holland Heineken House for Ireen Wüst!!

http://www.anpfoto.nl/search.pp?eventid=1725673

Courtesy Robin Utrecht!

**Marengo** · #57 02-14-2014, 06:40 AM

The Volkskrant (comparable to the Guardian), seems to be holding a campaign against the king in Sotchi. Some articles:

'De koning is te veel sportliefhebber en te weinig staatshoofd' - Winterspelen - VK

'the king is too much a sportsfan and too little a head-of-state'
critique on his decision to go to Sotchi no matter what. And the PM allowed this. Also criticism on him drinking beer with Putin.

--
'In godsnaam, je bent koning, trek een pak aan, en gedraag je!' - opinie - VK

'In God's name, you're a king, wear a suit and behave'
He is behaving like a 22 y/o member of a student association. Esp. this letter sent to the newspaper by a lady (Roelien Dekker) from Wijhe received a lot of attention.

--
Christiaan Alberdingk Thijm: 'De koning moet zichzelf nog een beetje uitvinden' - 4 Uur Nieuwsbreak - VK

'the king still needs to invent himself a little' ; his mother was more gracious. But WA is different.

Susan Smit: 'Koningspaar lijkt vooral in Sotsji te zijn voor leuk privé-uitje' - 4 Uur Nieuwsbreak - VK
'The king and queen seem to be in Sotchi for a fun private outing' by author Susan Smit.

---
Ophef over hossende koning bij Spelen in Sotsji - Binnenland - Reformatorisch Dagblad
Other newspapers followed. The extremely Orangist Reformatorisch Dagblad: interviews a lady who has critisism. She says that his behavior is unworthy of a king.

And another article: Commentaar: Koning vergat de waardigheid van zijn ambt in Sotsji - Commentaar - Reformatorisch Dagblad
The king forgot the dignity of his position in Sotchi. They add a warning from the bible: 'Pity the country where the king is a child'.

NRC:
Beatrix had dit nooit zo gedaan | nrc.next | dinsdag 11 februari 2014
'Beatrix would never done it this way' (= drinking beer with Putin).

etc. etc.

And there are many other forums, newspapers etc. comparing his behavior to that of a child or corpsbal (student who is a member of a student corps, who usually play field hockey, are boisterous, have rich parents, drink too much beer and are unable to pronounce the letter 'r'). However, I think that the vast majority actually likes the kings behavior.
Personally i think it would be rather foolish of the king to run away from Putin, so he was stuck with the beer & drinking buddy.

Elenath · #58 02-14-2014, 07:34 AM

^^ I agree. As far as I can tell the only people who mind are the ones writing these articles. Most "ordinary" people like this part of our king.

**Marengo** · #59 02-14-2014, 11:00 AM

The prime minister called the people with criticism 'zeurpieten' (naggers?). He added that it is difficult for grown-ups to be enthausiastic about anything, but we should be proud that we have a king who does. Not the cleverest statement since it implies that he compares the king to a child, which was exactly what some of the 'zeurpieten' did.

LIVE Sotsji dag 7: Rutte hekelt

Lee-Z · #60 02-14-2014, 01:01 PM

Well, i have to admit that on the first speedskating days the comparison to a little boy who was on his first outing and meeting his sporting-idols came to my mind too

But they are involved and enthousiastic and i'd rather see that than a blase 'been there, done that' kind of person.

And yes, his mother would *never* have behaved like this, but we knew from the start that WA is different than her; i can well imagine his grandmother getting enthousiastic like him...