Muhammed Taher Pasha (1879 – 29 January 1970) ( ar, محمد طاهر باشا) was an Egyptian doctor of political science, originally of Turkish origin, and the founder of the

Mediterranean Games The Mediterranean Games is a multi-sport event organised by the International Committee of Mediterranean Games (CIJM). It is held every four years among athletes from countries bordering the Mediterranean Sea in Africa, Asia and Europe. The fir ...

. He was the chairman of the

Egyptian Olympic Committee The Egyptian Olympic Committee ( ar, اللجنة الأولمبية المصرية, abbreviated as EOC) is a non-profit organization serving as the National Olympic Committee of Egypt and a part of the International Olympic Committee. History T ...

and also a member of the Executive Commission of the

International Olympic Committee The International Olympic Committee (IOC; french: link=no, Comité international olympique, ''CIO'') is a non-governmental sports organisation based in Lausanne, Switzerland. It is constituted in the form of an association under the Swiss ...

from 1952 to 1957. Taher Pasha convinced the National Olympic Committees of the Mediterranean countries

1948 Summer Olympics The 1948 Summer Olympics (officially the Games of the XIV Olympiad and also known as London 1948) were an international multi-sport event held from 29 July to 14 August 1948 in London, England, United Kingdom. Following a twelve-year hiatus ca ...

held in

London London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...

to create the

Taher Pasha Trophy

In 1950, he gifted the Taher Pasha Trophy to the International Olympic Committee. The trophy is reserved for amateur athletes, regardless whether or not they compete in the Olympics, whose general merits or career appear to warrant a particular distinction in the name of the Olympic ideals. Recipients of the trophy, which is not necessarily awarded every year, have included: * 1951:

Paul Anspach Paul Eugène Albert Anspach (1 April 1882 – 28 August 1981) was a Belgian épée and foil fencer who competed in four consecutive Olympics (1908, 1912, 1920 and 1924). His grand-uncle, Jules Anspach (1829-1879), was Brussels burgomaster. Ea ...

(1882–1981), Belgian fencer * 1952:

Fanny Blankers-Koen Francina "Fanny" Elsje Blankers-Koen (26 April 1918 – 25 January 2004) was a Dutch track and field athlete, best known for winning four gold medals at the 1948 Summer Olympics in London. She competed there as a 30-year-old mother of two, earn ...

, (1918–2004), Dutch athlete * 1953: Adhemar da Silva (1927–2001), Brazilian triple jumper * 1954: Adolphe Jauréguy (1898–1977), French rugby union player * 1955: Roger Bannister (born 1929), English middle-distance athlete * 1956: Gert Fredriksson (1919–2006), Swedish sprint canoeist * 1957:

John Landy John Michael Landy OLY (12 April 1930 – 24 February 2022) was an Australian middle-distance runner and state governor. He was the second man to break the four-minute mile barrier in the mile run and held the world records for the 1500-metre ...

(born 1930), Australian middle-distance runner * 1960:

Joaquín Blume Joaquín Blume (; 21 June 1933 – 29 April 1959) was a Spanish gymnast. The son of a German gymnastics instructor established in Barcelona, he belonged to the gymnastics section of FC Barcelona. He became Spanish gymnastics champion at 15 a ...

(1933–1959), Spanish gymnast (posthumous award) * 1961: van de Wattyne, Belgian athlete * 1962: Phil Coleman (born 1931), American middle- and long-distance runner * 1963: :*

Iolanda Balaș Iolanda Balaș (, hu, Balázs Jolán, later ''Balázs-Sőtér Jolán''; 12 December 1936 – 11 March 2016) was a Romanian athlete, an Olympic champion and former world record holder in the high jump. She was the first Romanian woman to win an ...

(1936–2016), Romanian athlete :*

Sjoukje Dijkstra Sjoukje Rosalinde Dijkstra (, born 28 January 1942) is a Dutch former competitive figure skater. She is the 1964 Olympic champion in ladies' singles, the 1960 Olympic silver medalist, a three-time World champion (1962–1964), five-time Europe ...

(born 1942), Dutch figure skater * 1965:

Sixten Jernberg Edy Sixten Jernberg, known as "Sixten", (6 February 1929 – 14 July 2012) was a Swedish cross-country skier and one of the most successful cross-country skiers of all time. Between 1952 and 1964 he took part in 363 ski races, finishing within ...

(1929–2012), Swedish cross-country skier * 1966: Rodrigo de Castro Pereira (1887–1983), Portuguese tennis player * 1967:

Eugenio Monti Eugenio Monti (23 January 1928 – 1 December 2003) was an Italian bobsledder and alpine skier. He is one of the most successful athletes in the history of the bobsleigh, with ten World championship medals (of which nine gold) and 6 Olympic m ...

(1928–2003), Italian bobsledder * 1971: New Zealand eight, the rowing team that won the eight event at the 1971 European Rowing Championships

Notes

Egyptian people of Turkish descent International Olympic Committee members Mediterranean Games 1879 births 1970 deaths Egyptian pashas {{Egypt-sport-bio-stub