Pál Schmitt

{{Short description|President of Hungary from 2010 to 2012}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}}

{{Hungarian name|Schmitt Pál}}

{{Infobox officeholder

|name = Pál Schmitt

|image = Official Portrait Pál Schmitt MEP.jpg

|caption = Official portrait, 2012

| order = 4th

|office = President of Hungary

|primeminister = Viktor Orbán

|term_start = 6 August 2010

|term_end = 2 April 2012

|predecessor = László Sólyom

|successor = János Áder

|office1 = Speaker of the National Assembly

|term_start1 = 14 May 2010

|term_end1 = 5 August 2010

|predecessor1 = Béla Katona

|successor1 = László Kövér

|office2 = Vice-President of the European Parliament

|term_start2 = 14 July 2009

|term_end2 = 13 May 2010

|president2 = Jerzy Buzek

|predecessor2 = Manuel António dos Santos

|successor2 = László Tőkés

|office3 = Member of the National Assembly

|term_start3 = 14 May 2010

|term_end3 = 5 August 2010

|office4 = Member of the European Parliament
for Hungary

|term_start4 = 20 July 2004

|term_end4 = 13 May 2010

|birth_date = {{birth date and age|1942|5|13|df=y}}

|birth_place = Budapest, Kingdom of Hungary

|death_date =

|death_place =

|party = Fidesz (2003–present)

|spouse = {{marriage|Katalin Makray|1966}}

|children = 3, including Petra

|signature = Signature of Pál Schmitt.png

}}

{{MedalTop}}

{{MedalSport | Men's fencing}}

{{MedalCountry|{{HUN}}}}

{{MedalGold | 1968 Mexico City | Team Épée}}

{{MedalGold | 1972 Munich | Team Épée}}

{{MedalBottom}}

Pál Schmitt ({{IPA|hu|ˈpaːl ˈʃmitt|lang}}; born {{Nowrap|13 May}} 1942) is a Hungarian Olympic fencer and politician who served as President of Hungary from 2010 until his resignation in 2012, following his academic misconduct controversy.

Schmitt was a successful fencer in his youth, winning two gold medals at the Summer Olympics.

Later, he served as an ambassador during the 1990s and was a Vice-President of the European Parliament from 2009 to 2010. After briefly serving as Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary in 2010, Schmitt was elected President of Hungary in a 263 to 59 vote in the National Assembly. He was sworn in as president on {{Nowrap|6 August}} 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.politics.hu/20100630/pal-schmitt-elected-new-president-of-hungary |title=Pal Schmitt elected new president of Hungary |publisher=Politics.Hu |access-date=1 July 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110817000213/http://www.politics.hu/20100630/pal-schmitt-elected-new-president-of-hungary/ |archive-date=17 August 2011 |url-status=dead }} On 2 April 2012, Schmitt announced to the Hungarian Parliament his resignation as president, following the outbreak of a controversy surrounding his 1992 doctoral dissertation.

Personal life

Born on 13 May 1942 in Budapest to a middle-class family, he graduated from high school in 1960 and later studied domestic trade at Karl Marx University of Economics, from which he graduated in 1965.{{cite web|url=http://doksi.hu/faces.php?order=DisplayFace&id=432|language=hu|publisher=Doksi.hu|title=SCHMITT PÁL (1942 - NAPJAINKIG)}}

Sporting career

Schmitt started a successful fencing career in 1955 competing for MTK-VM. After winning two Hungarian Championship titles in individual competitions he participated as part of the Hungarian National Fencing Team 130 times between 1965 and 1977. He won the team épée gold medal at the 1968 and 1972 Summer Olympics.{{cite web |url=https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sc/pal-schmitt-1.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200417200749/https://www.sports-reference.com/olympics/athletes/sc/pal-schmitt-1.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=17 April 2020 |title=Pál Schmitt Olympic Results |access-date=29 December 2010 |work=sports-reference.com}}{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jBFX1-EpLO9Xh0Rff95aVPiDkHcw|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121216142903/http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5jBFX1-EpLO9Xh0Rff95aVPiDkHcw|url-status=dead|archive-date=16 December 2012|title=Hongrie: le conservateur Pal Schmitt élu président de la République|date=29 June 2010|agency=Agence France-Presse|language=fr|access-date=29 June 2010}} He also won team and individual World Championships in fencing, and collected several second and third-place finishes until his active career ended in 1977. He later became the Chief of Protocol of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and presided over the World Olympians Association between 1999 and 2007.

Political career

File:SchmittPal-2011-01 EuropaPont (2).jpg

Between 1983 and 1989, Schmitt was the general secretary of the Hungarian Olympic Committee and under-secretary of sports between 1981 and 1990. In 1989 after the End of Communism in Hungary he became president of the Hungarian Olympic Committee. He later became a diplomat, serving as Hungary's ambassador to Spain (1993–1997) and Switzerland (1999–2002).{{cite news|url=http://www.earthtimes.org/articles/news/332243,hungarys-sporty-new-president.html|title=Profile: Pal Schmitt: Hungary's sporty new president|date=29 June 2010|work=Earth Times|access-date=29 June 2010}} While in Spain he was also accredited to Andorra from 1995.

In 2002 he ran for the position of mayor of Budapest, but his independent candidacy also supported by Fidesz was unsuccessful.{{cite news|url=http://www.valasztas.hu/onkval2002/so02/onkdin/fopolgm.htm|title=Election results – 2002 mayoral election in Budapest|work=Valasztas.hu|access-date=10 April 2012}} In 2003, he became a deputy president of Fidesz. He led the party list of Fidesz in the 2009 European elections in Hungary and was elected as a Member of the European Parliament with the Fidesz – Hungarian Civic Union, to the Bureau of the European People's Party and was vice-chair of the European Parliament's Committee on Culture and Education.

Schmitt chaired the Delegation to the EU–Croatia Joint Parliamentary Committee. On {{Nowrap|14 July}} 2009 he was elected one of the 14 Vice-Presidents of the European Parliament. He became the Speaker of the National Assembly of Hungary after the Hungarian parliamentary election in 2010.{{cite news|url=http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-06-23/hungary-premier-orban-nominates-schmitt-for-president.html|title=Hungary Premier Orban Nominates Schmitt for President|last=Simon|first=Zoltan|date=29 June 2010|work=Bloomberg Businessweek|publisher=Bloomberg L.P.|access-date=29 June 2010}}{{dead link|date=April 2023|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

President of Hungary (2010-2012)

In the 2010 Hungarian presidential election, Schmitt was elected President of Hungary by the National Assembly, for a term commencing on {{Nowrap|6 August}}. He succeeded László Sólyom.{{cite news|url=https://www.google.com/hostednews/ukpress/article/ALeqM5gK5mnF-I6tWAd9LHqamfVITQ8XWQ|title=Fencing ace is Hungarian president|date=29 June 2010|work=Press Association|access-date=29 June 2010}}{{dead link|date=June 2024|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}} He was elected with the support of the Fidesz and Christian Democratic People's (KDNP) parties,{{cite news|url=http://www.dw-world.de/dw/article/0,,5742966,00.html|title=Hungarian parliament elects former Olympian as new president|last=Turner|first=Rob|date=29 June 2010|work=Deutsche Welle|access-date=29 June 2010}} receiving 263 out of 322 votes. András Balogh of the Socialist Party received 59 votes.{{cite news|url=http://www.straitstimes.com/BreakingNews/World/Story/STIStory_547284.html|title=Schmitt is Hungary's president|date=29 June 2010|work=The Straits Times|location=Singapore |publisher=Singapore Press Holdings|access-date=29 June 2010}}

Schmitt had been the deputy president of Fidesz and the speaker of the Hungarian Parliament. From the first free elections in 1990, the nominating party has typically picked one of its high-ranking members for president: for example the SZDSZ nominated Árpád Göncz, who was a founding member of the Alliance of Free Democrats (SZDSZ). The previous MSZP government's nominee was Katalin Szili, an MSZP member who was the then speaker of the Hungarian Parliament. Schmitt signaled a positive relationship with the Fidesz-KDNP government, saying: "In the current situation, when we undertake rebuilding the country economically, socially and morally, it is imperative that the president get along with the prime minister, as well as all leaders and government members."{{cite news|url=https://www.reuters.com/article/idUSLDE65S1HW20100629|title=Hungary's next president says will support govt|last=Dunai|first=Marton|date=29 June 2010|work=Reuters|access-date=29 June 2010}} Schmitt said he did not intend to take an obstructionist stance towards the government, and sought a more active role in the political process such as the drafting of the country's new constitution.{{cite web|author=Haiman Éva |url=http://www.vg.hu/kozelet/politika/ellensuly-helyett-egyensuly-beiktattak-schmitt-palt-324036 |title=Ellensúly helyett egyensúly – Beiktatták Schmitt Pált |publisher=Vg.hu |access-date=2 April 2012}} After taking office, Schmitt resigned all posts and offices previously held. Soon after his election Schmitt came under heavy attack from some opposition parties, that refused to attend the presidential inauguration, citing high costs and a late invitation.{{cite web|url=http://www.politics.hu/20100806/socialists-lmp-snub-insulting-invite-to-inauguration-ceremony |title=Socialists, LMP snub "insulting" invite to inauguration ceremony |publisher=Politics.hu |access-date=2 April 2012}}

Drafting of a new constitution began in 2010, and was finalized by 11 April 2011, being adopted by Parliament on 18 April.[http://www.economist.com/node/18530690?story_id=18530690&CFID=167666102&CFTOKEN=19412890 Goulas Soup, Hungary's New Constitution], Economist, 7 April 2011 |[http://www.politics.hu/20100802/hungarys-new-constitution-drafted-by-next-march-says-fidesz-official "Hungary's new constitution drafted by next March, says Fidesz official"] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311111235/http://www.politics.hu/20100802/hungarys-new-constitution-drafted-by-next-march-says-fidesz-official/ |date=11 March 2012 }}, politics.hu, 2 August 2010; accessed 18 August 2010{{in lang|hu}} [http://www.euractiv.com/de/zukunft-eu/ipad-verfassung-fordert-ungarn-heraus-news-502962 accessed 13 March 2011] Schmitt signed the new constitution into law on 25 April and it went into effect on 1 January 2012.

As a supporter of the second cabinet of Viktor Orbán, already it was probable before his appointment that the presidential position is his reversioner.{{Clarify|date=April 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fn.hu/valasztas2010/20100415/elszolta_magat_schmitt_pal/ |title=Elszólta magát Schmitt Pál – FN24 |publisher=Fn.hu |date=15 April 2010 |access-date=2 April 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.fn.hu/belfold/20100629/szent_istvan_merce_schmitt/ |title=Szent István a mérce Schmitt Pálnak – FN24 |publisher=Fn.hu |date=29 June 2010 |access-date=2 April 2012}} This confirmed that he proclaimed it at the time of the starting of his presidential activity, he wants to be "man of the people", and would like to favour and help the current government's work.{{cite web|url=http://www.hetek.hu/belfold/201007/az_emberek_embere |title=Az emberek embere | Hetek Archívum |publisher=Hetek.hu |access-date=2 April 2012}}

He created a sensation{{cite web|url=http://www.politicalcapital.hu/blog/?p=1937708 |title=Political Capital: Schmitt Pál: Független vagyok magunktól |publisher=Politicalcapital.hu |access-date=2 April 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://www.hungaropress.hu/schmitt_pal_time_magazine.php |title=Hungaropress |publisher=Hungaropress.hu |access-date=2 April 2012}} by personally identifying himself with the government's politics repeatedly in an interview with Time on 15 October 2010.[https://web.archive.org/web/20101016070504/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,2025131,00.html Hungary's Economic Game Plan] (Time magazine) In particular, the subject of the last sentence was "we, the government." The interview in its entirety can be found on the website of the Office of the President.{{cite web|url=http://www.keh.hu/index.php?submenu=interjuk&id=345&details=1&cat=23 |title=KEH |publisher=Keh.hu |access-date=2 April 2012}}

In November 2010, during a presidential speech he declared one of his major goals to be the preservation and fostering of the Hungarian language and stressed that this would be made compulsory by law. However, after this speech the website of the Office of the President published statements that were full of grammatical and stylistic errors and were ridiculed by the general public.{{cite web|url=http://hvg.hu/itthon/20101112_schmitt_pal_helyesiras |title=Itthon: Helyesírási hibákkal van tele Schmitt Pál fogalmazványa |publisher=HVG.hu |date=4 February 2012 |access-date=2 April 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://hirszerzo.hu/belfold/20101111_Schmitt_Pal_magyar_nyelv_helyesiras |title=Hírek: Védje meg a Hírszerzővel a magyar nyelvet Schmitt Páltól! |publisher=hirszerzo.hu |date=19 November 2010 |access-date=2 April 2012}}{{cite web |url=http://www.168ora.hu/landingpage/nevetseg-targyava-valt-schmitt-67498.html |title=168 Óra – Nevetség tárgyává vált Schmitt Pál |publisher=168ora.hu |date=29 March 2012 |access-date=2 April 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120311095140/http://www.168ora.hu/landingpage/nevetseg-targyava-valt-schmitt-67498.html |archive-date=11 March 2012}}{{cite web|url=http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_9TLv6MzfLTQ/TSCPjgc1YrI/AAAAAAAAADM/rBnQQ_kAemA/s1600/DSC00606.JPG |title=A Köztársasági Elnöki Hivatal honlapján megjelent újévi köszöntő helyesírási hibái |access-date=2 April 2012}}

By 31 December 2010, Schmitt had signed nearly one hundred bills which had been voted on by the National Assembly; he did not send any back for consideration by the parliament, nor submit any to the Constitutional Court for judicial review.[http://nol.hu/belfold/torok_gabor__schmitt_uj_elnoki_peldat_teremtett Népszabadság Gábor Török: Schmitt új elnöki példát teremtett] (in Hungarian) at nol.hu

=Academic misconduct and resignation=

{{main|Pál Schmitt academic misconduct controversy}}

In 1992 Pál Schmitt defended his dissertation for a doctor of philosophy degree summa cum laude at the Testnevelési Egyetem (University of Physical Education). In the year 2000, this institution was merged into Budapest's Semmelweis University to become one of its Faculties.{{cite web |url=http://www.sote.hu/oktatas/tf/ |title = Semmelweis Egyetem – Kutató – Elitegyetem}}

On 11 January 2012, the website of the Hungarian magazine Heti Világgazdaság accused Schmitt of plagiarizing the work of a Bulgarian sport expert in his doctoral dissertation. Nikolay Georgiev's Analyse du programme olympique (des Jeux d’Olympiade) had been finished in 1987, and Schmitt's dissertation, completed in 1992, appears to be almost entirely a translation of this work.{{cite web|url=http://hvg.hu/itthon/20120111_Schmitt_doktori_disszertacio_plagium|title=Súlyos plágiumgyanú Schmitt Pál doktori értekezése körül|date=11 January 2012 |publisher=HVG.hu|access-date=11 January 2012}} The accusation was denied by the Office of the President, which explained that Schmitt and Georgiev were friends and had worked together, from the same sources.

{{cite web|url=http://hvg.hu/itthon/20120111_schmitt_pal_keh_plagium|title=Schmitt Pál hivatala visszautasítja a plágiumvádakat|date=11 January 2012 |publisher=HVG.hu|access-date=11 January 2012}}

Additional plagiarized sources, including 17 pages written by the German sport sociologist Klaus Heinemann,{{cite web |url=http://hvg.hu/itthon/20120119_Schmitt_Heinemann_doktori_masolas |title=Nem mondott igazat Magyarország elnöke: Schmitt 17 oldalt emelt be egy német kutatótól |publisher=HVG |date=19 January 2012 |access-date=20 January 2012}} were identified later. Semmelweis University announced that a fact-finding committee would investigate the matter.{{cite press release|url=http://mediasarok.sote.hu/12980/kozlemeny-3/|title=Közlemény|date=17 January 2012|work=sote.hu|language=hu|access-date=22 January 2012}}{{cite web|url=https://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-18/hungarian-university-to-probe-presidential-plagiarism-allegation.html|title=Hungarian University to Probe Presidential Plagiarism Allegation|author= Edith Balazs|date= 18 January 2012|publisher=Bloomberg |access-date=22 January 2012}}

The fact-finding committee's report, issued on 27 March, confirmed the plagiarism (word-by-word translations of "unusually large extent"), but blamed the Testnevelési Egyetem for not revealing the copied sources, and fell short of putting any blame on Schmitt ("the author may have thought that his dissertation satisfied the requirements").{{cite web |url=http://mediasarok.sote.hu/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/SKMBT_C25312032710050.pdf |title=Összefoglaló Schmitt Pál ún. kisdoktori értekezése tárgyában |last=SE-TSK Tényfeltáró Bizottság |date=29 March 2012 |access-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417035252/http://mediasarok.sote.hu/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/SKMBT_C25312032710050.pdf |archive-date=17 April 2012}} However, a minority report was issued by the single non-faculty member of the committee, which called for the revocation of Schmitt's doctoral degree.{{cite web |url=http://mediasarok.sote.hu/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dr_fluck_kulonvelemeny.pdf |last=Fluck |first=Ákos |title=Dr. Fluck Ákos bizottsági tagnak a Semmelweis Egyetem Testnevelési és Sporttudományi Kara által Schmitt Pál ún. kisdoktori értekezése vizsgálatára fel állított tényfeltáró bizottság jelentéséhez füzott Különvéleménye |date=27 March 2012 |access-date=31 March 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120417035312/http://mediasarok.sote.hu/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/dr_fluck_kulonvelemeny.pdf |archive-date=17 April 2012}} On 29 March 2012 the Senate of Semmelweis University decided to revoke the degree.{{cite journal |last=Shrivastava |first=Sanskar |title=Hungarian President Pál Schmitt Resigned Over Plagiarized PhD |date=2 April 2012 |url=http://www.theworldreporter.com/2012/04/hungarian-president-pal-schmitt.html |access-date=2 April 2012}}{{cite press release |url=http://mediasarok.sote.hu/16762/university-senate-revokes-pal-schmitt%E2%80%99s-doctoral-dr-univ-title/ |title=Press Release: Semmelweis University's Senate has revoked Pál Schmitt's doctorate (dr. univ.) |publisher=Semmelweiss University |date=30 March 2012 |access-date=31 March 2012}}

On 2 April 2012 Schmitt announced his resignation as president, saying that he felt the plagiarism debate had divided the country.{{cite news |last=Facsar |first=Fanni |title=Hungary's president quits over alleged plagiarism |journal=CNN |date=2 April 2012 |access-date=3 April 2012 |url=https://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/02/world/europe/hungary-president-resigns}}{{cite web |url=http://index.hu/belfold/2012/04/02/schmitt_elviheti_a_showt/#1481788 |title=Schmitt Pál lemondott |date= 2 April 2012 |language=hu |access-date=2 April 2012}}{{cite news |last=A.L.B |title=Hungary's plagiarizing president Schmitt quits |newspaper=The Economist|date=2 April 2012 |access-date=3 April 2012 |url=https://www.economist.com/blogs/easternapproaches/2012/04/hungarys-plagiarising-president}} He reiterated that his conscience was clear, vowed that he would complete a PhD program, and threatened to launch a lawsuit against Semmelweis University. On 15 May 2013, Schmitt formally surrendered his doctorate after an academic remedy committee declared that his thesis did not meet the criteria, either in terms of content or formal requirements.{{cite press release |url=http://www.politics.hu/20130516/former-president-schmitt-formally-surrenders-title-of-doctor-tainted-by-plagiarism/ |title=Former president Schmitt formally surrenders title of doctor tainted by plagiarism |publisher=Politics.hu |date=16 May 2013 |access-date=17 May 2013}}

On 22 March 2014, Schmitt said in a short interview that he had given up his plans for graduating as a PhD, but instead would write a monograph on the effects of sports on the environment and sustainable development, which would have been the theme of the promised degree thesis.{{cite news |url=http://hvg.hu/itthon/20140322_Igy_nem_lesz_soha_doktor_Schmitt_Pal |title=Így nem lesz soha doktor Schmitt Pál |publisher=HVG |date=2014-03-22 |access-date=2014-08-11}}

After presidency

In October 2015, Schmitt was appointed chairman at the first meeting of the EU's Sports Diplomacy Advisory Group, which was established by the Hungarian European Commissioner for Education, Culture, Youth and Sport, Tibor Navracsics.{{cite web | url=https://hungarytoday.hu/former-hungarian-president-head-eus-sports-diplomacy-advisory-group-68142/ | title=Former Hungarian President To Head EU's Sports Diplomacy Advisory-Group | last=Sullivan | first=Ferenc | website=Hungary today | date=9 October 2015 | accessdate=10 May 2021}}

In January 2016, Schmitt was appointed Chairman of the Budapest 2024 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games Bid Committee.{{cite news |url=http://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1033297/pal-schmitt-appointed-president-of-budapest-2024-as-full-bid-committee-is-announced |title=Pál Schmitt appointed President of Budapest 2024 as full Bid Committee is announced |publisher=insidethegames.biz |date=2016-01-15 |access-date=2016-04-20}} The committee was nicknamed "the Guardians of the Olympic Bid", as Schmitt stated that it is a decisive step in Hungary's bid to host the 2024 Summer Olympics and 2024 Summer Paralympics. The committee was put together in order to promote efforts inside and outside of Hungary and it is made up of 23 members from various sport, business and public backgrounds working together to monitor, review and find a strategic direction for the bidding process.{{cite web | url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1033297/pal-schmitt-appointed-president-of-budapest-2024-as-full-bid-committee-is-announced | title=Pál Schmitt appointed President of Budapest 2024 as full Bid Committee is announced | last=Pavitt | first=Michael | website=Inside the Games | date=15 January 2016 | accessdate=18 May 2021}}

The Hungarian Olympic Committee re-elected Krisztián Kulcsár in June 2020, as well as other appointments including that of Schmitt to the executive body as representative of the IOC.{{cite web | url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1095498/kulcsar-re-elected-hungary-president | title=Kulcsar re-elected as President of Hungarian Olympic Committee | last=Shefferd | first=Neil | website=Inside the Games | date=20 June 2020 | accessdate=18 May 2021}}

In connection with the COVID-19 pandemic, in January 2021 the Government of Hungary announced that they would provide vaccinations for Olympic Athletes who had a chance of qualifying for the next Summer and Winter Olympic games. Schmitt stated in an interview that athletes and coaches should be vaccinated as soon as possible, which would amount to approximately six to seven hundred people. Taking such actions would ensure that Hungarian athletes could participate in the qualification tournaments in preparation for the Tokyo Olympic Games.{{cite web | url=https://hungarytoday.hu/hungarian-athletes-prioritize-coronavirus-vaccine-olympics/ | title=Hungarian Athletes Prioritized to Receive Coronavirus Vaccine | last=Cseresnyés | first=Péter | website=Hungary today | date=29 January 2021 | accessdate=1 June 2021}}

International Olympic Committee (IOC)

Schmitt became an official of the IOC in 1983 when he became Vice-Chairman of the IOC Athletes' Commission until 1988. He was also member of the Study for the Preparation of the Olympic Games Commission from 1985 to 1991, the Coordination for the 1992 Winter Olympics Commission from 1989 to 1992, the Coordination for the 1994 Winter Olympics Commission from 1989 to 1994. He was member of the Eligibility Commission from 1989 to 1992, the Olympic Movement Commission from 1993 to 1999, the Olympic Collectors Commission from 1994 to 1995, the Council of the Olympic Order Commission from 1995 to 1999, as well as a member of the "IOC 2000" (Executive Committee) in 1999. Schmitt was also a member of the International Relations Commission from 2005 to 2013, a Delegate Member for Protocol from 1999 to 2010, and part of the Public Affairs and Social Development through Sport Commission starting in 2015. From 1991 to 1999 he was Member of the Executive Board, then from 1995 to 2013 he was Chairman of the Sport and Environment Commission, as well as being Vice-President of the IOC from 1995 to 1999.{{cite web | url=https://olympics.com/ioc/mr-pal-schmitt | title=Pál Schmitt | last= | first= | website=The International Olympic Committee | date= | accessdate=25 May 2021}}

After his resignation as President of Hungary in 2012, Schmitt was removed of his position as Chief of Protocol by the IOC but remained a member.{{cite web | url=https://www.thenation.com/article/archive/meet-ioc-ideal-candidates-perp-walk/ | title=Meet the IOC, Ideal Candidates for a Perp Walk | last=Jennings | first=Andrew | website=The Nation | date=22 January 2014 | accessdate=7 June 2021}}

In 2017, he was present at various events for the IOC, including meeting with the IOC President, Thomas Bach, while he was attending the FINA World Championships in Budapest.{{cite web | url=https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-president-witnesses-stunning-venues-and-exciting-competitions-at-fina-world-championships/ | title=IOC President witnesses stunning venues and exciting competitions at FINA World Championships | last= | first= | website=The International Olympic Committee | date=24 July 2017 | accessdate=8 June 2021}} During the event, Schmitt stated in an interview that he was once again going to run for an IOC Executive Board membership. At that time, he was 75 years of age at the time, and also the fourth longest serving IOC member at the time. In September 2017, the IOC elected 8 new members, as well as a new Vice-President and three members of the Executive board. As well as re-electing 16 members that were at the end of their 8-year bloc, including Pál Schmitt who had run for one of the two vacancies in the IOC Executive Board.{{cite web | url=https://olympics.com/ioc/news/ioc-elects-eight-new-members | title=IOC elects eight new Members | last= | first= | website=The International Olympic Committee | date=15 September 2017 | accessdate=5 July 2021}}{{cite web | url=https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1055428/ioc-member-hoevertsz-awarded-ifbb-spirit-of-sport-award | title=IOC member Hoevertsz awarded IFBB Spirit of Sport Award | last=Etchells | first=Daniel | website=Inside the Games | date=15 September 2017 | accessdate=5 July 2021}}

In May 2018, Schmitt met once again with IOC President Bach for meetings while he was visiting the IOC headquarters in Lausanne for the farewell visit from IOC Member Alexander Zhukov.{{cite web | url=https://www.olympic.org/news/olympic-highlights-131 | title=Olympic Highlights | last= | first= | website=The International Olympic Committee | date=22 May 2018 | accessdate=20 July 2021}} He also accompanied President Bach to the World Wrestling Championships held in Budapest in October 2018.{{cite web | url=https://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-president-at-the-wrestling-world-championships-in-budapest | title=IOC President at the Wrestling World Championships in Budapest | last= | first= | website=The International Olympic Committee | date=28 October 2018 | accessdate=28 July 2021}}

In 2023, he became an honorary member (instead of a regular member) of the IOC.

References

{{Reflist|30em}}