Paul Loicq

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Paul Loicq (Born 1890 in Brussels, Belgium - Died 1953) was an ice hockey player, referee, and administrator. He is a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame in the "Builder" category in 1961. Born in Brussels, Belgium, he studied law and served with the Belgian armed forces in World War I. As a hockey player, he skated with the Belgian national ice hockey team from 1919, retiring after playing for them in the 1924 Winter Olympics.

After retiring, Loicq turned to working as a referee and administrator. He served as president of organizations such as the Skaters Club of Brussels, the Belgian Federation of Skaters and the Belgian League for Winter Sports, finally becoming the president of the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 1927. He served in that position for twenty years, while also refereeing 65 official matches for the Olympic Games and the European and World championships. During this time, he also founded the International College of Referees.

Loicq is credited with helping to increase the popularity of ice hockey in Europe, and with promoting ice hockey as one of the premier events at the Winter Olympic Games.

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