Kevan Gosper – Tribute from a Friend

Kevan Gosper – Tribute from a Friend

by Richard W Pound

On July 19, 2024,  just as he was preparing to leave Australia to attend the Olympic Games in Paris. the Olympic Movement lost one of its most devoted supporters with the death of Richard Kevan Gosper. It was typical of Kevan that, even at the age of 90, he was enthusiastically looking forward to being in Paris with his family and that his friends and colleagues were equally excited about the prospect of renewing their contacts with him.

When sadly it became obvious that he would be unable to travel to Paris, he strongly encouraged (dare I say insisted) that his family attend the Games in celebration of his own Olympic contributions as an athlete (1956 Olympic silver medalist in 4x400m relay) and long time holder of the Australian record at 400 metres, and as an administrator (among others, President of the Australian Olympic Committee from 1985-1990, President of the Oceania National Olympic Committees from 1989 to 2009, Vice President of the Sydney 2000 OCOG from 1993 to 2000 and as inaugural Chairman of the Australian Institute of Sport from 1980 to 1985).

Closer to his Olympic “home” I first met Kevan in 1976 on the occasion of the Montreal Olympic Games, which he attended for the purpose of meeting the IOC President, Lord Killanin, to see whether he would be nominated to replace a recently retired IOC member in Australia.  He was duly nominated and was elected at the Prague Session the following year and served until 2013, when he became an Honorary member.  Little did I know that I would follow him to IOC membership in 1978, where our initial friendship, begun in Montreal, flourished over many decades of shared experiences that included Olympic Congresses, Olympic Games that were “easy” and Games that were more tenuous, governance issues (à la Salt Lake City), some of which put the existence of the IOC itself at risk, and three changes of IOC leadership.

His experience in both sport and as a major business executive was such that he became a very active Chair of the IOC Press Commission, during which he played pivotal roles in shaping the content and delivery of the IOC communication strategies.  He remained in constant contact with the IOC Presidents of the day to be sure that they were alert to issues that might call for avoidance or intervention.  He was particularly adept at media gatherings, which were always civil and never fractious under his chairmanship.  His overall qualities of leadership were recognized and appreciated by his colleagues, who elected him to the IOC Executive Board on two occasions and as Vice-President for two terms, high praise indeed in an organization having more than its share of competitive juices.

As retirement from active membership crept up, it was all but self-evident that Kevan would be appointed an Honorary Member and would receive the Olympic Order.  He accepted both and carried on as a source of wise counsel to both colleagues and the IOC Administration.  The size and expertise of the IOC Administration today has expanded far beyond anything imaginable at the time we became members of the IOC and, today, regular members of the IOC do not generally have the chance to become directly involved in the implementation of policy as did Kevan.

It has been an honour to have served along side and to learn from him.  He has left an indelible legacy for the benefit of his successors and leaves an organization that is better than it would otherwise have been.  We all extend our deepest sympathy to his splendid family and look forward to seeing them all in Paris.

Australian Kevin Gosper hailed as a “True Giant of the Olympic Movement”

by Philip Barker

The Olympic Flag has been lowered to half-mast as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) paid tribute to former Vice President Kevan Gosper who has died at the age of 90. President Thomas Bach has described him as “full of energy, very determined and deeply loved the Olympic Movement.”

Gosper became an IOC member in 1977 and served as a Vice President.

He was a key figure in organising the highly successful 2000 Olympics as Vice President of the Organising Committee.

“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,” Bach said.

Gosper’s fellow Australian IOC member, John Coates, paid his own tribute.

“He was a close friend and a man of high principles who led the Australian Olympic movement with great distinction.”

Gosper served as Australian Olympic Committee President from 1985 to 1990.

“Kevan was one of the true giants of the Olympic movement, not just in Australia but globally,” said current AOC President Ian Chesterman.

“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.

“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 Board. He was involved in some of the biggest decisions of his time.

Gosper had been a top level athlete over 400m and helped win the 4x400m relay silver for Australia at the 1956 Melbourne Games.

Earlier he won 440 yards gold at the 1954 Commonwealth Games in Vancouver and his talent had been recognised with a place at Michigan State University.

An executive with Shell Oil, his career took him to Papua New Guinea where he led their team at the 1962 Commonwealth Games,

He was later a key figure in ensuring the athletes from East Timor were able to participate as independent athletes at Sydney 2000.

“The people of East Timor have suffered immense hardship over the years – for the East Timorese to participate in the millennium Olympics, in however small a way, would serve as an immense boost to their morale,” Gosper had written to the then IOC President Juan Antonio Samaranch,

Gosper had been the inaugural Chairman of the Australian Institute of Sport and an important figure in the early years of the Oceania National Olympic Committees.

He was invested with the Order of Australia in 1986 and inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1989.