The IAAF has lost one of its most popular staff members – Sue Richardson

Before joining the IAAF, Sue had worked for British Airways, in the Royal Navy and at London Weekend Television but above all had directed all her abilities and enthusiasm to the service of the London Marathon, where since 1981 she rubbed shoulders with many runners and officials who are her friends to this day. It was at the London Marathon that she had her first contacts with AIMS and over the years, until 2005, she became secretary to the Board and the AIMS Congress.

But it was in Monaco that she exploited her talents to the full as my loyal and extremely competent Personal Assistant. To all, she was helpful, considerate, knowledgeable, funny and great company.

She continued throughout to play an important role in our relations with the road running community and, most especially, with AIMS.

But Sue also was heavily involved in all aspects of marketing at the IAAF, ensuring our daily liaison with ISL and later with DENTSU/AMS and our Official Partners.

Her skill led her to become the ever-present secretary to the meetings of the IAAF Council and Golden League and taker of the Minutes at Congress from 1997.

In London and in Monaco, her sole family was the IAAF: she was never so happy as when she was with the Council Members, meet organisers, sponsors, athletes and her colleagues on the IAAF staff.

Despite her health problems Sue insisted on coming to Helsinki in 2005, planning to take the minutes of Congress as usual (she maintained her sequence of having attended every single World Championships since the inaugural edition in 1983). Unfortunately, this was not to be and she had to be admitted to hospital in Finland.

Since then, she faced her sickness with great courage, always putting on a brave face for her visitors, even though she knew that her case was hopeless. Her final weeks were extremely difficult. In the hospital the steady stream of visitors, the flowers, the letters, the gossip from the athletics family around the world will have made her realise the high regard in which she was held. Now she rests in peace; we will all miss her.

A final tribute was paid to her on Tuesday, 5 September by President Lamine Diack, in the company of all her colleagues and friends who attended from around the world. We would especially like to note the presence of David Bedford and Nick Bitel from the London Marathon, John Disley, co-founder of the London Marathon who along with Hugh Jones represented AIMS, Stephan Brubacher, AMS, Hiro Kuwabara, DENTSU, Jean Poczobut, IAAF Treasurer, Mario Kadiks of the Rotterdam Marathon, Francisco Borao from the Valencia Marathon, and close friends, athlete agent/manager Mark Wetmore, Sue & Robin Churchill, and Stu Snowden.

Pierre Weiss
IAAF General Secretary

source:
www.iaaf.org