Primo Nebiolo, who died on November 7th, aged 76, was the most controversial figure in international sporting administration in an era of great expansion. His 18 years as president of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF) were marked by enormous growth in participation and commercial input, but were also accompanied by a litany of murky manipulations, not only in his business deals, but also once in the arena. However, he always denied knowledge of the rigging of the longjumping measurements at the 1987 World Championships in Rome. He was also on the International Olympic Committee.
He survived the loathing widely held for him in the Anglo-Saxon world by carefully shoring up his powerbase. In 1995, Eisa Al Dashti, one of his council members from Kuwait, was nominated to oppose his reelection as president. Having failed to persuade Al Dashti to stand down, he flew to Kuwait, met a member of the royal family, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al Sabah, who was also a member of the IOC, and the opposition was withdrawn.
Born in Turin, his administrative career began in the 1950s with the World Student Games organisation, of which he became president in 1959, remaining so until his death. By the time he became president of the Italian Athletics Federation he was already seeking international office.
He squeezed on to the IAAF Council in 1972, but made it clear that he wanted the presidential post. In 1981 he opposed Adrian Paulen of Holland, telling Paulen that he held an enormous number of votes, and did not want him humiliated. Paulen bought the bluff and stood down.
During his tenure, leading athletics officials believed that he was, if not part of, then close to, the Mafia. That was strongly felt at the World Athletic Championships in Rome in 1987, when Giovanni Evangelisti took the long jump bronze medal. Suspicion about the measuring of his leap was immediate, and while one inquiry - set up by Primo Nebiolo - found nothing wrong, another by the Italian Olympic Committee found there had been organised cheating.
He is survived by his wife Giovanna.
Primo Nebiolo: born 1923; died November, 1999