"Gentle" IOC Member, Nat Indrapana, 80

(ATR) Nat Indrapana participated in the planning of three Olympic Games during his 18 years as an IOC member.

His death was announced by the IOC. Indrapana had suffered from a long illness and died in Bangkok.

Professionally, Indrapana was an administrator at Srinakarinwirot University. As a student, Indrapana attended universities in Australia, Canada and the U.S., earning advanced degrees in Physical Education.

As a sports administrator he was Deputy Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand, first elected in 1984.

He was one of the leaders of the organizing committee for the 1978 Asian Games in Bangkok.

He held a number of posts through the years with the Olympic Council Asia and as president of the Asian Trap and Skeet Shooting Federation.

In 1990 he was elected the IOC. His IOC career including work on the coordination commissions for the Sydney, Beijing and Rio as well as the 2010 Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. In 2013 he served on the Evaluation Commission for the 2020 Olympics.

Indrapana had gentle manner which colleagues repeatedly mentioned.

"With the death of Nat Indrapana, the IOC loses a true gentleman of sport. With his outstanding gentleness he made many friends around the world, including me. Over the years of his membership, Nat contributed greatly to the Olympic Movement and the protection of its values. For this, he mobilised all his personal forces to serve the IOC even while fighting his serious disease. We will all miss him greatly," said IOC President Thomas Bach.

Richard Carrion, IOC member in Puerto Rico, who joined the IOC with Indrapana in 1990, sat next to him at IOC Sessions.

"I am very saddened by the news. Nat was a gentle man and a gentleman. I will remember him fondly," Carrion tells ATR.

Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad Al Fahd Al Sabah liked to call Indrapana"Dr. Nat".

"As a member of the International Olympic Committee representing Thailand, Dr Nat served the sports movement with great devotion and energy over many years and at many levels," said Sheikh Ahmad.

"He was very active in South East Asia and throughout the continent and was a valuable member of the Olympic Council of Asia’s Advisory Committee.

"His knowledge, experience in several sports and his advice all contributed to the work of the Advisory Committee, providing a link between the IOC, OCA and our National Olympic Committees.

"The OCA would like to send sincere condolences to the family and friends of Dr Nat, as well as the Thailand NOC and the sports movement in Thailand. His contribution and enthusiasm will be missed in our meetings and at our games."

IOC member in Great Britain Craig Reedie led the IOC Evaluation Commission for the 2020 Olympics which included Indrapana as a member. Sometimes they played golf together.

"We were the warmest of friends on various co comms and the 2020 Evaluation Commission - and also on the golf courses whenever we could. He was the nicest of men and I am lucky to have had him as a colleague and friend," Reedie posted to ATR.

In addition to the coordination commissions, Indrapana served on other IOC commissions: Culture and Olympic Heritage Commission, Eligibility (1992-1998), Radio and Television (1993-1996, then 2002-2004), Culture and Olympic Education (1999-2015) and the Olympic Program(2005-2013).

He was a vice president of the World Taekwondo Federation from 1999 to 2009.

He was 12th in seniority at the time of his death. The IOC Session coming up in Buenos Aires in October was to be his last as he reached age 80 retirement this year.

He was Thailand’s third IOC member since the first two were elected in the 1970’s. In 2017, Mrs Khunying Patama Leeswadtrakul was elected as a new member from Thailand.

Indrapana is survived by his spouse and two children.

Reported by Ed Hula.