Richard Kevan GOSPER

Kevan Gosper competed at the 1956 and 1960 Olympics, winning a silver medal in the 4x400 relay at the Melbourne Games. His biggest international victory was a gold medal in the 400 metres at the 1954 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. Gosper attended Michigan State University where he ran track, and also studied at the University of Newcastle. After college he joined the Shell Oil Company and eventually became Chief Executive Officer of the Australian branch of the company. He also served as a director of several Australian companies.

In sports administration, Kevan Gosper was the first Chairman of the Australian Institute of Sport from 1980-85, was President of the Australian Olympic Federation from 1985-90 and in 1989 became President of the Oceania Olympic Committees. He was made an Officer of the Order of Australia in 1986, and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1989.

Gosper became an IOC Member in June 1977 and resigned from the IOC in December 2013, upon turning 80-years-old, after which he was named an Honorary Member. He served the IOC in numerous capacities, including three terms on the Executive Board from 1986-94 and from 1995-2002. He was twice in the Vice-Presidential line of succession, serving as 1st Vice-President in 1993-94 and 2002-03. His primary IOC role was as Chairman of the Press Commission from 1989-2013. He also served on the following commissions: Olympic Solidarity (1981-84), Programme Commission (1984-87), Commission for the Preparation of the XII Olympic Congress (1990-94), Apartheid and Olympism (1989-92), Commission for the Centennial Olympic Congress (1994-96), and Working Group on Media Coordination (1989-90).

Personal Best: 400 – 46.3 (1960).