Luis Benítez de Lugo

Luis Juan Francisco Benítez de Lugo y Ascanio Enrich (10 March 1916 – 21 December 2008) was a Spanish athlete who presided over a total of 17 National Federations, including Swimming (1968–1972). He founded and directed around thirty companies and societies,

He held the noble title of . His family was of Canarian descent and possessed several noble titles, including, among others, the marquisate of Florida since 1685, which was given by King Charles II of Spain to Don Francisco del Hoyo y Calderón Lugo y Benítez de Vergara, Perpetual Ruler of Tenerife. After fleeing Madrid, he joined the rebel side, in which he fought as a provisional second lieutenant , in the Tabor de Regulares, Mérida, Palma, and Cádiz, being wounded in the battles of Teruel and Ebro, During this period, one of his ball boys was the future US Open champion Manuel Santana. He was present on the day the club was founded on 22 August 1949, in which he spoke words of encouragement and loyalty to the president of the management company, José del Río Amor, later ratified as first president.

Personal life On 5 June 1937, Benitez de Lugo married María del Rosario Massieu y Fernández del Campo, 3rd Marchioness of Arucas (1917–2003). The couple had five children, with their first-born inheriting their noble titles, Luis Felipe Benítez de Lugo y Massieu (1938–), 19th , 11th Marquis of Florida, 5th , with descendants. The other four were María del Carmen, María del Rosario, Juan José, and Francisco de Borja Benítez de Lugo y Massieu.

Despite being born in Madrid, he never forgot the Canary Islands, the land of his ancestors, acting as a Canary Islander and even boasting about his Canarian heritage. He lived there in the last few decades of his life.

Death Benitez de Lugo died at the Insular University Hospital of Gran Canaria in the Canary Islands on 21 December 2008, at the age of 91.