Former secretary general of the Jamaica Olympic Association (JOA), Keith Shervington, is dead.

The veteran sports administrator passed away peacefully at home yesterday morning. Shervington, who had been ailing for some time, was in his 91st year.

In paying tribute to Shervington yesterday, JOA president, Mike Fennell, said the country had lost "an outstanding and faithful servant of the sports movement".

Fennell added: "He contributed with distinction over a very long period of time."

Long service

Shervington started his service to local sport as a participant in weightlifting and wrestling. He then became secretary general of the JOA under the late Tony Bridge, and also served under Fennell, first as secretary then vice-president.

He was also a founding member of the Jamaica Sports Medicine Association and acted as their treasurer for a long time, and up to his death was a director of the Sports Development Foundation, having been there since its inception.

In 1984, Shervington was awarded the Olympic Order for his services to sports by the International Olympic Committee.

During his association with the JOA he accompanied several national teams to Olympic and Commonwealth Games. He did a lot of work with paraplegics, assisting the late Professor John Golding and the late Sammy Henriques at the Mona Rehabilitation Centre.

Former JOA secretary general Keith Shervington