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It is with the deepest regret that the International Amateur Athletic Federation announces the death of IAAF honorary life vice-president and vice-president of the International Athletic Foundation, Mr Leonid Khomenkov, in Moscow on Saturday 21 March 1998, at the age of 84.
Leonid Khomenkov played a prominent role in the world-wide Athletics Movement, and more especially in the ex-USSR, where he had occupied the post of President of the Soviet Athletics Federation form 1971 to 1990. He was vice-minister for sport from 1962-1969. In this position, he was one of the promoters of the historic agreement of 1966 which restored international competition with the United States of America and was largely responsible for organising meetings between the two nations.
In his youth, Leonid Khomenkov was a sprinter and long-jumper. Utilising his early experience as an athlete, he became one of the leading exponents of science and was appointed as head of the Institute of Sports Science of the Soviet Union. During his career as an academic, he published no fewer than 220 treatises on the subject of sports science.
In 1958 he was elected to the Council of the IAAF and was IAAF Senior Vice President from 1976 to 1991, when he was succeeded as Council Member by Igor Ter-Ovanesian. Khomenkov was then elected Honorary Vice President for life.
The President of the IAAF, Dr Primo Nebiolo, expressed his deep personal regret at the loss of a colleague and friend in a message of condolences to Valentin Balakhnitchev, President of the All Russia Athletic Federation, of which Khomenkov was honorary life president.
IAAF
