Rodolphe-William Seeldrayers was a top athlete who was 1897 Belgian champion in the 110 metre hurdles, and playing national level football with Racing Club de Bruxelles for over 20 years. He studied law at the Université Libre de Bruxelles where he played on the football team in 1898-99. He also competed in cricket, golf, hockey, swimming, and tennis. Seeldrayers worked as a sports journalist, first with La Vie Sportive. He served as President of the Belgian Union of Football Clubs from 1929-37, and was Vice-President of FIFA for more than 30 years. Seeldrayers was elected President of FIFA in 1954 but served only one year because he died in 1955. He also served as President of the Belgian Olympic Committee from 1945 until his passing. He was appointed to the IOC in September 1946, serving until his death, and frequently clashed with IOC President J. Sigfrid Edström, particularly in 1951 when Seeldrayers objected to two German IOC Members (von Mecklenburg-Schwerin and von Halt) continuing as Members. Seeldrayers was posthumously named an Honorary Member of the IOC, after which it was decided that this honor would not be accorded again.
Belgium