Gholam, Prince Reza Pahlavi

Gholam, Prince Reza Pahlavi was the son of Reza Shah, the founder of the Pahlavi dynasty that ruled Iran from 1925 until 1979. During World War II, the British attempted unsuccessfully to install him as the leader of Iran, replacing his father. Gholam studied in the United States at Fort Knox Military Academy and then graduated from Princeton University. He later studied at the Military Academy of Tehran, and then was appointed by his brother, the Shah of Iran, to be inspector-general of the Iranian Army. Prince Reza Pahlavi did not enter politics but concentrated on sports administration, serving as President of the Iranian Olympic Committee from 1955-79, and President of the Asian Games Federation from 1971-74. He also helped Tehran host the 1967 IOC Session.

Prince Reza Pahlavi was co-opted onto the IOC in June 1955. With the Iranian Revolution of 1979, he left Iran, as did his entire family, and he settled in Paris. At the 1980 IOC Session in Lake Placid, he resigned because he no longer resided in Iran.