World Athletics is deeply saddened to learn that former World Athletics Vice-President Amadeo Francis passed away on Sunday (25th) at the age of 92.
Francis was born in the Virgin Islands in October 1931 and moved to Puerto Rico, where he represented the country internationally in the 400-meter hurdles and competed in the 1948 and 1952 Olympic Games.
Francis served as president of NACAC for 20 years and was instrumental in establishing the Pan American Athletics Commission, which supports the Pan American Games, held every four years.
He worked diligently with CONSUDATLE’s longtime president, Gesta de Mello of Brazil, to ensure that the innovative Pan American Junior Athletics Championships, the brainchild of Canada’s Cecil Smith, received support to make the biennial event sustainable.
He joined the Council of World Athletics (then the IAAF) in 1976 and became vice-president in 1999, a position he held until 2007. He was awarded the IAAF Golden Order of Merit in 2007 in recognition of his lifelong dedication to athletics.
A noted economist, Francis held many positions in Puerto Rico's government.
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