Samaranch hospitalised

Former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch has been taken to hospital in Lausanne suffering from breathing problems caused by "extreme tiredness".

The International Olympic Committee said in a statement on Wednesday that Samaranch was taken to hospital late on Tuesday, his 81st birthday.

"He didn't feel good last night and went to hospital but he is feeling better today," an IOC spokesman said. "The doctors want to keep him in for a day or two."

Nobody was available at the Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudoise CHUV to comment on Samaranch's condition.

Samaranch stepped down as president on Monday after IOC members voted overwhelmingly for Belgium's Jacques Rogge to succeed him as leader of the world's most important sports organisation.

The Spaniard was very emotional on Monday as he handed over power to Rogge at a ceremony in Moscow. He attended a meeting on Tuesday morning before flying back to Switzerland.

IOC director-general Francois Carrard told Reuters that Samaranch suffered breathing difficulties later that night.

"He flew with us last night very normally. He was in great condition and he even went into the cockpit for the landing.

"He then went on with Olympics interviews post-midnight. How anybody over the age of 40 could handle that I don't know.

"Then he had respiratory difficulties which he has had before. He needs to stay quiet for a few days. He is much better now and I plan to pay him a visit later on today."

Samaranch is due to hand over the keys to IOC headquarters on Friday in a lavish ceremony but the event will now be reduced in scale or even cancelled.

"There are plans for it to be more of an internal affair and downscale the ceremony," the IOC spokesman said. Carrard added: "We will take a decision tonight and we're keeping the options open."

Samaranch is now the organisation's life president and will continue his role as head of the foundation that looks after the Olympic museum, which is to be renamed the Samaranch Olympic Museum.