Kevan Gosper was more than a friend to me. Great athlete in the 60s, great manager in the industry and in the IOC, but above all a man of his word.
He passed away yesterday, at the age of 90, in Melbourne. With Kevan I experienced important moments for our profession, when he held the role of president of the IOC Press Commission.
With him we found solutions every time, even in the most delicate moments. It was a pleasure to discuss with him and learn too. He was always attentive and also studied the evolution of our profession.
Some say: he was of the old guard. No, he was a modern man, a real man. A hug to his wife Judy and to the two sons and the two daughters.
Below is an article by Glenda Korporaal, co-author of An Olympic Life – Gosper’s autobiography, on The Australian
Olympic movement veteran and businessman Kevan Gosper dies aged 90
Mr Gosper, who was due to attend the Olympics in Paris later this month, passed away peacefully in hospital in Queensland with his family on Friday morning after a short illness.Mr Gosper won a silver medal in the 4 by 400m relay in the Melbourne Olympics in 1956 with teammates Graham Gipson, Leon Gregory and David Lean.
He captained the men’s athletics team in the Rome Olympics in 1960.
He won a gold medal in the 440 yards and a bronze medal in the 4 by 110 yards (100m) relay at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver.
He won a bronze in the 1958 Commonwealth Games in Cardiff in 1958 in the 4 by 110 yards relay.
A businessman who was chief executive of Shell Australia he combined his interest in sport with his commercial career.
He was inaugural chair of the Australian Institute for Sport from 1980 to 1985, and president of the Australian Olympic Committee from 1985 to 1990.
He rose to become a vice president of the International Olympic Committee.
He was nominated to the International Olympic Committee in 1977.
He was vice president of the Sydney Organising Committee for the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
He was chief of the IOC Press Commission which included the Beijing Olympics in 2008 where he insisted that the internet be open.
Kevan Gosper was a director of a number of Australian companies including Crown Resorts, Visy and Lion Nathan.
Mr Gosper was also chief commissioner of the city of Melbourne and chairman of the National Australia Day Council.
He is survived by his wife Judy and four children, Brett and Dean from his first wife Jillian, who passed away in 1981, and Richard and Sophie.
His sons have continued the family sporting tradition.
The former chief executive of World Rugby, Brett Gosper is head of Europe and Asia Pacific for the National Football League of the US.Dean Gosper is a former chair of Snow Australia.
Mr Gosper’s autobiography, An Olympic Life, was published in March 2000.
Glenda Korporaal was co-author of An Olympic Life.
