European athletics chief Svein Arne Hansen dies

European athletics governing body’s head, Svein Arne Hansen, died on Saturday aged 74 after failing to recover from a stroke he had suffered in March, the sports body said.

Hansen, a former head of Norway’s athletics federation, had led European Athletics since 2015 after becoming its fifth president.

“I am deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Svein Arne today,” European Athletics interim president Dobromir Karamarinov said in a statement.

“He was a great leader, a visionary for our sport and a charismatic personality within the athletics family. We have lost a great man.”