Doña Pilar de Borbón passed away in Madrid yesterday, at the age of 83. She was president of the FEI between 1994 and member of the IOC of Spain between 1996 and 2006.
Doña Pilar de Borbón is the elder sister to former king of Spain, Juas Carlos I and therefor also the aunt of current king Felipe VI. Officially, her title is Her Royal Highness Infanta Doña Pilar de Bórbon, where 'Infanta' is a title given to children of the Spanish or former Portuguese royal family.
Being an equestrian herself in her yought and besides president of the FEI and member of the Spanish IOC, she was also a member of the Sports and Environmental Commission between 1996 and 2006 and honorary member of the IOC since 2006.
Doña Pilar de Borbón served the Olympic Movement as part of the excexuting counsil of the Spanish Olympic Committee and was honorary president of the Spanish Riding Federation.
From 2007 until 2009 she was also the president of the Europian Federation for cultural heritage "Europa Nostra", who advocates for the protection of European cultural and natural heritage.
Current president Thomas Bach: "Her passion for sports always showed in her actions. I will always remember her
“Doña Pilar was one of the warmest people I have ever met and was a wonderful President of the FEI for 12 years”, FEI President Ingmar De Vos said. “She was a true visionary, introducing a strategic plan to modernise the Federation and initiating a solid governance structure that was taken forward by her successor HRH Princess Haya.
