From a press release issued by FIM:

Nicolas Rodil del Valle

FIM Honorary President Nicolas Rodil del Valle passed away last night in Valencia, Spain, at the age of 88.

Don Rodil del Valle was elected FIM President at the Congress of Paris, in October 1965, as the successor of Dutchman Pieter Nortier. He was then re-elected for five more mandates, remaining President during 18 years until he decided to retire, at the Congress of Benalmadena (Spain) in October 1983.

Don Rodil took part in the very first meeting of the FICM after the Second World War, held in Geneva on June 11, 1946. He was then Secretary General of the Spanish Federation (RFME) since 1943. In November 1949, he was elected member of the International Sporting Commission (CSI). He became RFME President in 1951. In May 1953, at the spring Congress in Rome, he was elected FIM Vice-President.

Nicolas Rodil del Valle was the first President of the modern times of the FIM. He gave a permanent structure to the Secretariat in Geneva and centralised all the administrative work. He was the first to understand the essential role that commercial rights and television would play in the future, and he worked to centralise the TV rights for the FIM, as the true owner of the World Championships, and also to develop the supervising role of the FIM. The current stage of development of the motorcycling sport at world level, with involvement of promoters, the presence of television and sponsors, was reached thanks to the work started during his presidency.

Mr Francesco Zerbi, FIM President, declared:
“Don Rodil was the greatest President of the FIM in modern times. It is a great loss, and we will always remember him for all the work he carried out during 18 years for the development of our sport.”

FIM Chief Executive Officer Guy Maitre started to work in the FIM in December 1978:
“I was hired by Don Rodil, and I can say he has been my spiritual father. He was a very demanding person, with a strong character, and it was sometimes difficult to deal with him, but his endless efforts put the motorcycling sports, and also the non-sporting activities of motorcycling, on the trail of development and modernity”.

The funeral will be held tomorrow in Valencia at 15:00. A memorial ceremony will be organised in Madrid next September.

All the members of the FIM present their sincere condolences to his family and friends.