Hein Verbruggen, who headed the coordination committee for the Beijing Olympics, resigned from the International Olympic Committee on Sunday as the Games closed, dpa reported.
The IOC instantly elected the Dutchman an honorary member.
Verbruggen, 66, was in the IOC since 1996, with a short absence in 2005 after stepping down as world cycling supremo. He was head of the coordination committee for the Beijing Games since the city was elected in 2001. The Games ended on Sunday.
Also on Sunday, athletes' representatives Moon Dae-Sung, Alexander Popov, Claudia Bokel and Yumilka Ruiz-Luaces were formally elected into the IOC.