Olympic sport mourns death of Olympics administrator Kevan Gosper

Former Australian Olympic Committee President and International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board Kevan Gosper has died following a short illness, aged 90.

Among many condolences, the IOC advised that it is "mourning" the death of "a distinguished and influential figure in the Olympic Movement", with IOC President Thomas Bach expressing his deep condolences, stating “Kevan Gosper was highly influential in the Olympic Movement, which he deeply loved.

"He served for decades as an IOC Member and for many years on the IOC Executive Board. I had the privilege of working closely with him. He was always full of energy and very determined. With his great communication skills, he often served as a spokesperson for the IOC.”

Also paying tribute to Gosper's career, Sport Australia Hall of Fame Chairman, John Bertrand advised in a statement "Kevan's impact on Australian sport, particularly through the Olympic movement, was extraordinary.

"His leadership and dedication as the inaugural Chairman of the Australian Institute of Sport and former President of the Australian Olympic Federation were unparalleled.

"Kevan's legacy will forever inspire us."

In a further tribute, Australian Sports Commission Chief Executive, Kieren Perkins said his passing on the eve of the Paris 2024 Games will be felt across Australian sport.

Perkins noted "on behalf of the Australian Sports Commission, I would like to extend my condolences to Kevan’s family and friends and pay tribute to his extraordinary service to sport.

“Kevan was a true leader in sport, both here in Australia and around the world.

“His foundational leadership has seen the AIS grow from eight sports to an internationally recognised sporting hub, which has helped Australian athletes succeed on the world stage for more than four decades.

“His insight, experience, and dedication will be missed but will not be forgotten by all those who continue to benefit from the AIS Kevan helped built. Vale.”

Gosper’s illustrious career spanned multiple decades and was marked by significant achievements.

An Olympic silver medallist at Melbourne 1956 in the Australian 4x400m relay team, he also went on to compete at the Olympic Games Rome 1960. In addition to these Olympic accolades, he also won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Vancouver (1954) with his dominance in track events seeing him hold the Australian national record for the 400 metres from 1955 to 1971.

Beyond his athletic achievements, Gosper made significant contributions to the Olympic Movement. He served as an IOC Member from 1977 to 2013, including two terms on the IOC Executive Board (1986-1990 and 1995-1999) and two terms as IOC Vice-President (1990-1994 and 1999-2003). As the Chairman of the IOC Press Commission from 1989 to 2013, he played a crucial role in shaping the organisation's communication strategies. His dedication was recognised with the IOC’s Olympic Order in 2013, the same year he became an IOC Honorary Member.

Nationally, he served as the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President (1985-1990) and was a life member of the AOC. His leadership extended to the Oceania region, where he was the President of the Oceania National Olympic Committees (ONOC) (1989-2009) and the Chairman of the Oceania Australia Foundation (2007-2024). He also led the Organisation of Sports Federations of Oceania (OSFO) from 2014 to 2024 and served as Vice-President of the Organising Committee for the Olympic Games Sydney 2000 (1993-2000).

His contributions to Australian sport included being the inaugural Chairman of the Australian Institute of Sport (1980-1985) and being inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1989.

For his services, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1986, and was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000. Gosper also had a distinguished corporate career as the Chairman and Chief Executive of Shell Australia Limited (1980-1991) and Vice-Chairman of the Australia Trade Commission (1985-1991).

As a mark of respect, the IOC has lowered the flags to half-mast at Olympic House and the Olympic Museum in Lausanne, Switzerland. A minute’s silence will be held during the upcoming meeting of the IOC Executive Board.

Images: Kevan Gosper (top, credit: IOC) and competing in the 1950s (below, credit: Australian Olympic Committee).