World Aquatics is deeply saddened to learn of the passing of Mr Eldon Godfrey, a long-serving Canadian diving leader who was a member of the FINA Bureau for 13 years.
Mr Godfrey was born on 5 September 1935 in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, and first became involved in diving in the 1970s when his daughter Allison started competing in the sport.
He was elected as President of the Canadian Amateur Diving Association from 1976 to 1980 and later served as President of the Aquatic Federation of Canada.
At international level, Mr Godfrey served on the FINA Bureau (now World Aquatics) for 13 years, and was a member of the FINA Technical Diving Committee for 16 years, including roles as Honorary Secretary and Vice Chairman.
He also served as President of the Union Americana de Natación (now Panam Aquatics) from 2007 to 2011.
Mr Godfrey worked at eight Olympic Games as either an official or a member of the jury of appeal, and officiated at four World Aquatics Championships, eight World Cups and three Pan American Games.
His contribution was recognised with some of the highest honours in Canadian and international sport, including induction into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame in 2003, the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 2007 and the International Swimming Hall of Fame in 2012.
In 2019, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of Canada for serving and promoting Canadian sporting interests and values on the world stage with dedication and integrity.
On behalf of World Aquatics, President Husain Al Musallam expressed his condolences to the family of Mr Godfrey and the aquatics community in Canada.
“Eldon Godfrey gave more than four decades to diving, and the sport is stronger for it,” President Al Musallam said.
"Whether he was serving on the FINA Bureau, sitting on the Technical Diving Committee or officiating at the Olympic Games, he approached every role with integrity and a real commitment to the athletes."
“We send our heartfelt condolences to Eldon's family, to Diving Canada and to everyone in the diving community who was fortunate to know him.”
World Aquatics Treasurer Dale Neuburger also paid tribute to Mr Godfrey.
“Eldon was a valued, trusted colleague whom I deeply respected and admired. As the FINA Bureau Liaison to the Technical Diving Committee, he brought leadership and integrity to the sport,” he said.
"Athletes, judges, and coaches loved and respected him for his extraordinary dedication and good judgment, and many of the most important advances in diving competition over the past 30 years resulted directly from his remarkable efforts"
Outside of his service to diving, Mr Godfrey enjoyed a long and successful career in business and education. A graduate of the University of Alberta, where he earned a Bachelor of Commerce in 1957, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1960 and later completed a Master of Arts in Economics at the University of Calgary in 1975.
He worked with major accounting firms and in private practice, and also served as Section Head of Business Administration at the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology (SAIT). In 2001, he was named a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants.
Mr Godfrey was also an active volunteer in his community, serving with organisations including Boy Scouts of Canada, the Alberta Football Coaches' Association and Silver Springs Golf and Country Club.
A dedicated philatelist, he was named a member of the Order of the Beaver of the British North America Philatelic Society in 2017.