Emanuel Bosák, former IAAF Council Member, passes away

The IAAF is deeply saddened to receive the news that Emanuel Bosák, a former IAAF Council Member and Czechoslovak Minister of Sport, passed away on 22 December 2011.

Born in Jicín on 2 September 1924, Bosák studied at the Prague Institute for Education for teachers of physical education at the Charles University. Subsequently he worked as a teacher at the TVS Institute (since 1965 the Faculty of Physical Education and Sport) until 1990. During the years 1964 - 67 he was on the Pro-Dean position at the Faculty.

At the end of the 1940s he became active as the Chief of athletics of the Czech Sokol in the South Bohemia Region. From 1952 to 1970 he was a member of the IAAF European Commission and an IAAF Council member from 1968 until 1972. He held several positions ln the Czech Association of Physical Education, the highest one from 1967-70 through which he also became the chief of the National Olympic Committee. In the course of his chairmanship in the Czechoslovak Olympic Committee detailed plans were developed for the organisation of the XXII. Olympic Garnes in 1980 in Prague. Unfortunately, they were never fulfilled. From 1969 - 1970 Bosak served as the Minister of Sports.

For his activities he was awarded the Sports Merit Cross in 1964 and the IAAF Veteran Pin in 1970.