HANGZHOU, March 23 (Xinhua) -- Juan Antonio Samaranch, former president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), was awarded an honorary doctorate Thursday by east China's Zhejiang University.
"I'm very honored to become a member of Zhejiang University, a prestigious institution of China," said Samaranch, at the award ceremony held at the university in east China's Zhejiang Province.
On July 13, 2001, Samaranch, then president of the IOC, announced Beijing as winner of the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Moscow. After holding the IOC presidency for more than 20 years, he was then succeeded by current IOC president Jacques Rogge.
Samaranch said he felt excited at Beijing's success in being awarded the 2008 Olympic Games and was convinced that the 2008 Games will be a full success. Enditem
