8 sports figures we lost in 2015
The sporting world had its ups and downs, and for every high moment, there was also a low. New talents were discovered across sports worldwide, building bright futures in their sports, but we also lost sporting icons who had built long, successful careers and become known to fans worldwide.Some lived their lives to their fullest, while many others’ lives were cut tragically short in their prime. Here, we pay tribute to eight big names from the world of sport who breathed their last this year:
#1 Jagmohan Dalmiya
Serving his second term as President of the Board of Control for Cricket in India, Jagmohan Dalmiya passed away in September this year after suffering a cardiac arrest. The Kolkata native was considered one of Indian crickets finest administrators, and was one of the key figures responsible for the sport becoming as big a financial phenomenon in the country as it is today.
Dalmiya is credited with transforming the nature of the game and the way tournaments are now structured, and won a series of awards for his administrative skills; responsible for the Bangladesh side being granted test status, he brought the subcontinent to repute in international cricket.
It was Dalmiya who conceived the idea of TV rights for match telecasts, something that today is considered par for the course. His achievements saw him eventually elected the president of the International Cricket Council (ICC) in 1997 by unanimous vote, and he served in that capacity for three years before falling out with the organisation.
Re-elected BCCI President in 2015, Dalmiya was unable to attend meetings regularly due to his health.
The visionary, an able administrator and a clean figure in a part of the game that was marred by corruption, Dalmiya suffered a cardiac arrest on the 17th of September, and passed away in hospital three days later.