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    Svein Arne Hansen remembered

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    Image: © Getty Images
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    21st June 2020 00:02

    European Athletics has received a myriad of messages and also noted the tributes on social media to its President Svein Arne Hansen, who died on Saturday at the age of 74.

    Below are some of the many messages of condolences received and seen by European Athletics.

    It is with a heavy heart that we write to you today. We are all so very sad to hear of the passing of Svein Arne. A great man who was such an incredible contributor to our sport. We know he will be missed by all of his colleagues, but more than that, he will be missed by his family and friends to which he was so much more than an Athletics Super Hero.

    For you this will be a huge personal and professional loss. I hope you are going okay and that you find the strength the get through this difficult time.

    Svein Arne was a great friend to Oceania Athletics and we will miss his good counsel and support but most of all we will miss his friendship. On behalf of all of us at Oceania Athletics we send our heartfelt condolences to his family and friends and everyone at the European Athletics Associat

    Warm Regards,
    Yvonne Mullins
    Executive Director, OAA

    The South American Athletics Confederation is deeply saddened to learn that Mr. Svein Arne Hansen, President of European Athletics, has passed away earlier today. Svein Arne was a sports enthusiast, a passionate stamp collector and a great friend of South American Athletics. The Presidency of CONSUDATLE sends condolences to Svein Arne’s family, friends and colleagues and decrees Official Mourning in South American Athletics for a period of three (3) days.

    Manaus, 20 June 2020
    Hélio Marinho Gesta de Melo, President

    [PHOTO src='1290719' size='mediumLandscape' align='right']

    On the occasion of the sad passing away of the late president of European Athletics Federation Mr. Svein Arne Hansen, we are expressing herewith our deepest condolence and sincerest sympathy.

    It is a very gloomy moment for everybody at the EAF family and elsewhere in global sport organizations.

    while we pray for the Almighty God to bless the soul of our beloved demise, we trust your administration will hold, tightly and professionally the torch of success to march forward towards achieving more and more accomplishments.

    Yours faithfully,
    Nawaf Bin Mohammed Al Saud
    World Athletics Vice- President

    Dear Friends, Dear European Athletics Family

    On behalf of my wife, Evelyn and my entire family and the thousands of friends that Svein Arne had in the Americas, my most sincere words of condolences on the passing of our dear friend.

    Svein Arne was a giant in our sport and he was a multiplicador of friends, always happy and in great state of humor but, moreover a lover and a fighter of our sport.

    We will miss him forever...

    Sincerely yours
    Víctor and Evelyn López
    --
    Victor Lopez - NACAC President / IAAF Council Member

    It is difficult to find words that describe my sadness upon the loss of Svein Arne. We all feared this moment where we would lose the driving power of someone who turned his passion for athletics in tangible change and progress. Now it is there. My special thoughts are with his family, children and grandchildren, of whom he would always talk with love and pride.

    I started working with Svein Arne in 2007 as European Athletics Council Member and I am still grateful for the support he gave and his trust in the initiatives we started back then. His experience and vision helped us tread different pathways, also after he came back as President of European Athletics in 2015. While sharing my condolences with you and knowing he will be dearly missed, I do trust that Svein Arne prepared the leadership of European Athletics to keeping the ship steady and to steer it through the present COVID-19 crisis into safe waters. My wish to all of you in this sad time is that all of you, the whole office team and Council, can keep his legacy alive.

    I would be thankful if my message could be forwarded to the family and to Council.

    Kind regards,

    Sylvia Barlag (World Athletics Council Member)

    Dear Brothers

    We are deeply saddened to hear the passing of our old and beloved friend Svein. On behalf of the Chinese Athletics Association, I would like to extend our deepest condolences to Svein's family and the European Athletic Association. Svein's passing is a great loss to the global athletics family, but his love, dedication and diligence for athletics cause will be forever remembered by the us all. Our hearts are with Mr. Svein's family. May his soul rest in peace.

    DUAN Shijie

    President, Chinese Athletics Association

    Dear European Athletics Famliy,

    It was really sad to learn the passing of our beloved colleague Svein. As a new member of WA Council, I very much respect his passion, devotion and dedications to our sport. His kindness, smiles and hospitality gave me deep impression as I was a guest to EA Congress in Prague. And I was hoping to receive him in Nanjing World Indoor Championships in last March as a host which now became a deep regret due to the epidemic. It was so tearful to lose a respected senior friend like him.

    Please convey my sincere condolences to the European athletics family as well as his beloved family. The athletics family will always remember and cherish his efforts and contributions to our sport. May his soul RIP.

    Yours Sincerely,

    Wang Nan

    Member of WA Council

    VP of Chinese AA



    Dear Colleagues:

    Our personal and the whole family of Cuban Athletics condolences..

    We are very sorry for the loss of a great friend from Cuba and mine since my time as an active athlete.

    We accompany his family and friends at this sad time and at the same time ask them to have great strength to overcome in this bitter moment.

    With a lot of respect from Cuba,
    Alberto Juantorena

    Vicepresidente Comité Olímpico Cubano
    Miembro del Consejo de World Athletics.
    Presidente Federación Cubana de Atletismo
    Presidente Comité Paralímpico Cubano

    Dear Friends,

    We were sincerely saddened by the news that Sven Arne Hansen, an honored athletic worker and leader, a man with a big heart, a friend, an honest and welcome guest, had left us forever.

    Athletic representatives will gladly remember remember the numerous encounters with him.

    He was always ready to help, support, encourage and with a dose of charm which have only exceptional people possess.

    Svein deserved to live permanently in the memories of every true fan of athletics and sports in general.Today, when we share with you moments of sadness due to the permanent parting from our friend in the name of the Athletics Federation of Montenegro, Montenegrin athletes and athletic workers, we send you and his family most sincere condolences.

    In the name of Athletic Federation of Montenegro
    Milorad Vuletić, Gojko Banjević and Milan Madžgalj

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