BUENOS AIRES, Argentina (AP) The IOC has awarded its highest honor to Dutch king Willem-Alexander after he relinquished his membership to focus on matters at home.
International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge presented the Olympic gold order to Willem-Alexander during a session in Buenos Aires on Sunday.
Willem-Alexander steppeddown after acceding to the Dutch throne in April. He will likely be replaced by KLM executive Camiel Eurlings in an election on Tuesday.
Willem-Alexander, who became an IOC member in 1998, said "in no way this means I'm distancing myself from the values" of the IOC and the Olympic Movement.
