Australian Olympic ‘giant’ dies after short health battle, aged 90

by Admin
July 19, 2024

Australian Olympic icon Kevan Gosper, AO, has died in a Queensland hospital after battling a short illness.

The 90-year-old — who was captain of Australia’s team in the 1960 Olympics — died peacefully.

Gosper was a gifted 400m runner and won a silver medal in the 4×400 relay at the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 and was widely considered unlucky not to win an individual in those Games.

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However, he did win gold at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver in the 440 yards event.

Gosper’s name rose to prominence again in the 1980s and 90s as high powered sports administrator.

He was the inaugural chairman of the Australian Institute of Sport from 1980 to 1985, and later became vice-president of the Sydney Organising Committee for the Olympic Games (SOCOG) from 1993 to 2000.

Kevan Gosper. — Long-time Olympic identity Kevan Gosper has passed away. Credit: AAP

He has held various roles with the International Olympic Committee (including vice-president), and was also president of Oceania National Olympic Committee.

Many may remember Gosper from the 2000 Sydney Olympics where he famously handed Cathy Freeman her gold medal.

He also weathered a storm during that time when his 11-year-old daughter, Sophie, was suddenly made the first Australian torchbearer in a last-minute switch.

That was not Gosper’s only Olympics controversy.

Before the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, he created a stir when he was critical of pro-democracy protesters during the Australian leg of the torch relay.

He was called an “apologist for dictators” during that period, but he stand up to China in a fight to keep the internet open during those Games.

In 1986 he was honoured as an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO) for service to industry, the community and international sport, and he has been similarly honoured by France, the Netherlands, Spain, Monaco, and Senegal.

And in 1989 he was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for his contribution to sports administration.

Gosper was a former Shell Australia chairman and chief executive, then headed up the company’s Asia Pacific operations when based in London.

He was also a director of companies including Crown Resorts and Lion Nathan, but throughout his business life remained passionate to the Olympic cause.

Gosper in action during a training session in 1958. Credit: Getty Images

AOC president Ian Chesterman said Gosper “was one of the true giants of the Olympic movement” across the globe.

“His loss will be felt enormously by so many of his friends who are gathering in Paris for the Olympic Games. There will be so many there from across the world who will have a heavy heart today with the news of Kevan’s passing,” he said.

“Kevan’s impact in Australia was enormous, as a former president of the AOC and a lifetime servant to sport in this country. But internationally his contribution was equally significant.

“He rose to the heights of the International Olympic Committee as an administrator having performed with distinction in his sport of athletics, a two-time Olympian who won a silver medal at the 1956 Melbourne Olympic Games.

“Kevan’s record of service is remarkable, having become an IOC member in 1977 he twice served as IOC vice president and was also twice elected as a member of the IOC executive. He was involved in some of the biggest decisions of his time.”

Gosper is survived by his wife Judy and four children, Brett, Dean (from his first wife Jillian), Richard and Sophie.

– With AAP