Friday, January 16, 2009

Erik Bergvall (1880-1950)

Erik Gustaf Bergvall has been a Swedish Water Polo player who won the bronze medal at London 1908 Olympics. As a Water Polo referee, Bergvall officiated the final game at Stockholm 1912 Olympics between Great Britain and Austria and also several games at Antwerp 1920 Olympics. He has been among the founders of FINA “Federation Internationale de Natation Amateur” in 1908 and member of its board until 1928, the last four years as President. He was also among the founders of LEN "Ligue Europeenne de Natation"in 1927. Bergvall was also founder of the Swedish Swimming Association in 1904, its secretary in 1904-08 and Chairman in 1909-32.
Bergvall worked as a journalist, mainly at the sports paper Nordiskt Idrottslif and he was the editor, among several books, of the Stockholm 1912 official Olympic report. He introduced the “Begvall competition system” aiming to conduct competitions with a fairest way possible.