PAT HICKEY, president of the Olympic Council of Ireland, is to receive France's highest decoration, the Legion d'Honneur, it was announced.
Mr Hickey will receive the award from French president Nicolas Sarkozy for his outstanding contribution to the Olympic movement, which includes his service as president of the Olympic Council of Ireland, president of the European Olympic Committees and of the International Olympic Committee.
Napoleon Bonaparte established the Legion d'Honneurin 1802 to acknowledge "eminent services".
To receive the award the recipient must have accomplished 20 years of public service or professional activities and have attained outstanding achievement in either case.
Meanwhile, the new Irish Ambassador to France, Paul Kavanagh, presented his credentials to President Sarkozy at the Elysée Palace yesterday.
Mr Kavanagh has moved to Paris from New York, where he was head of the Irish mission at UN headquarters.
He previously served in Geneva as Ireland’s permanent representative to the United Nations, World Trade Organisation and International Offices.
From 2004 to 2006, he was ambassador to the European Union’s political and security committee in Brussels.
From 2003 to 2004, Mr Kavanagh held the position of deputy political director at the Department of Foreign Affairs in Dublin.