BRUSSELS, March 2, 2024 - Rik Lamoral passed away late in the evening of March 1 at the age of 75. Rik was not just a dedicated sports journalist, he also played a prominent role in Sportspress.be and AIPS as well as AIPS Europe (formerly UEPS). As a sportswriter for Flemish dailies De Nieuwe Gazet and Het Laatste Nieuws, Rik covered a multitude of sports, including basketball, judo, swimming and athletics, and he attented many Olympic Games.
Rik obtained his first sports press card back in 1969, and he would be a professional member of the Belgian Sportspress Association for 50 years. He first joined the organisation’s Executive Board in 1983. From February 2000 until February 2004 he served a first term as vice-president, before becoming president of Sportspress.be in 2004. For the four years after that, he again became vice-president. To this day, we remember his wise words of advice during frequent discussions in board meetings.
Rik was also active in the AIPS family, including AIPS Europe. Within AIPS, he took the New Media Commission under his wing. Rik attended numerous AIPS Congresses, the last one in Rome 2022.
The last few years, we saw less of Rik, as he was frequently struggling with health issues. Today, we mourn the loss of a valued colleague and a formidable past president. We will all miss Rik!
