An IOC member since 1978, Abu Samah was a member of the IOC’s Juridical (1984-1985), Cultural (1984-1987) and Eligibility (1989-1998) commissions before becoming an IOC Honorary Member in 2004.
Abu Samah was a long-serving President – and later Honorary Life President – of the Olympic Council of Malaysia, and held numerous leadership posts at sports federations both within his native Malaysia and internationally. These included President of the Football Association of Malaysia (1976-1983), President of the Asian Football Confederation (1978-1994), Vice-President of FIFA (1982-1990), President of the Malaysian Cricket Association (1969-1990) and President of the Malaysia Taekwondo Association (1987-1999).
He became a barrister-at-law at Gray’s Inn, Great Britain, before embarking on distinguished legal and political career in Malaysia that included a period as Malaysia’s Minister of Culture, Youth and Sports. Abu Samah enjoyed playing golf, tennis and squash, and it was his passion for physical activity that led to his decades-long career serving sport within the Olympic Movement at home and abroad.
The IOC expresses its deepest sympathies to Tan Sri Hamzah Abu Samah’s family.
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