FIVB President Jizhong Wei said Mr Yasutaka Matsudaira (left) had led the FIVB and AVC to a new era of development
“The whole FIVB family feels sadness at the loss of a faithful colleague and friend of ours,” FIVB President Mr Jizhong Wei said in a letter of condolence on Thursday.
“On behalf of the FIVB I express my deep condolences and sincere sympathy to Mrs Matsudaira. Mr Matsudaira has devoted all his life and time to volleyball. He has made a tremendous contribution to the modernization of volleyball. He had led the FIVB and AVC together with us to a new era of development. The FIVB and JVA are forever grateful for his contribution.”
Involved with volleyball for most of his life, Mr Matsudaira played for Japan from 1954 to 1960, helping them clinch gold at the 1958 Asian Games. After retiring he went on to coach, sealing bronze at the 1964 Tokyo Olympic Games, silver at the 1968 Mexico Olympic Games before clinching gold at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games.
At the end of his stint in coaching he moved into sports administration and became a FIVB executive vice-president in 1982 before becoming 1st executive vice-president in 1994. He was also AVC president and a vice-president of the Japanese Olympic Committee at the same time. In 1998 he retired and was named a FIVB honorary vice-president as well as AVC Life Honorary President, Japanese Olympic Committee Honorary Member and Japan Volleyball Association Honorary Adviser and continued to contribute to the sport right up to his death.
“For many years, he contributed greatly to the development of volleyball not only in Japan but also in the world,” JVA president Taizaburo Nakano said.
“He received respect from around the world as a wonderful leader. We are now filled with deep sorrow to lose one and only person like him. He was a treasure in the volleyball world.”
