Officials and administrators recognised in King’s Birthday Honours

Pictured: Geoff Moore OAM

Athletics Australia congratulates three contributors to the sport who have been recognised in the King’s Birthday Honours over the weekend.

Geoff Moore has been awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) for his commitment to athletics, while the late Ian White was also honoured posthumously in the General Division. Also recognised for significant service to community health and to business governance, former AA Board Member, Dr. Russell Scrimshaw was appointed as a Member of the Order of Australia (AM).

Showing a lifetime of devotion to athletics, Moore has tallied up over 50 years of service in the nation’s capital as an administrator and a technical official. A former delegate of the ACT Athletics Association and previously the President of the North Canberra Athletics Club, Moore has given countless hours to the sport after hanging up his shoes as a distance runner. At the ACT Masters Athletics Club, he is a distance coach and webmaster, and has volunteered his time as secretary, registrar, track and field coordinator and has been a Life Member since 2000. Today, Moore also manages the Speedy Geese Running Group; a recreational group he founded in 1982. He received the Athletics Australia Platinum Pin for 40 years service to the sport in 2005.

Two years after his passing, Athletics Australia Life Member Ian White OAM was recognised for his passion and commitment. Born into a family of athletics officials, his father Ray officiated at the 1956 Olympics, and Ian began his long-standing career at just the age of nine. His first international appointment was the 1977 Pacific Conference Games and over the years, he officiated at every international Games or championships Australia hosted, and travelled overseas for 1999 World Championships in Spain and the 2001 World Championships in Canada. Ian's daughter Janet and granddaughter Linda continue the family tradition as national technical officials.

In addition to his lengthy career as an official, White coached school-aged hurdlers, and in the 1990s, he served as one of the Athletics NSW advisors to the Sydney Olympic Bid on the detailed design of the International Athletic Centre at Homebush.

Russell Scrimshaw AM served as a Board Member at Athletics Australia from 1999 to 2005. In the business space, he was a founding director and deputy chief executive of Fortescue Metals Group and held executive positions within the Commonwealth Bank of Australia, Optus, Alcatel, IBM and Amdahl USA. Outside of his work with Athletics Australia, he has also been on the boards of Commonwealth Properties, EDS Australia, Mobilesoft, Telecom New Zealand Australia and The Garvan Institute Foundation.

Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley said Moore, White and Scrimshaw’s contribution to athletics has had a direct impact on the sport.

“On behalf of Athletics Australia and the entire Australian athletics community, I would like to congratulate Geoff and Russell, and take the time to reflect on the contributions of Ian and the honours they have all received,” Bromley said.

“Each of them has had an enormous impact on the sport, not to be at all underestimated. Geoff has served over 50 years to our sport, giving his time in Canberra, while Ian was a leader in the officiating space which has had a lasting impact on his community and his family. While it’s been some time since Russell has served on the Board, his enthusiasm lifted the sport greatly and it’s fantastic to see him honoured for his other endeavours.

“Congratulations to each of them, and I’d like to thank them for their commitment, dedication and devotion to our sport. It doesn’t go unnoticed.”

Three sports medicos that have worked with Australian Athletics Teams through the Australian Olympic Committee and Commonwealth Games Australia also received recognition for their service to Australian sport - Dr Peter Harcourt AM, Dr David Hughes AM and Dr Diana Robinson AM.

If you would like to get involved with officiating or volunteering in athletics, please click here. 

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 13/6/2022