CMAS mourns the death of the Honorary President, Mr. Achille Ferrero

With deep sorrow, the Confederation announces that the Honorary President Mr. Achille Ferrero, born in 1933, left us in the early hours of Friday, January 25th.

His death leaves a great emptiness in the world of sport and in particular of the underwater sports that have had in his figure, humanly passionate and sportingly competent, a great reference point.

Ferrero has been president of CMAS for 20 years, from 1993 to 2013, a record that no President has until now equaled within the Confederation.

As a matter of fact, he was elected for the first time in 1993 during the General Assembly held in Nicosia, and has been reconfirmed over the years.

He left the office he loved so much in 2013. He was recognized many honours during his life dedicated exclusively to sport and its development:

1967

Genoa - Nervi (ITA) – He became CMAs 3-star instructor.

1968

Pavia (ITA) – Founder and Chair of the first underwater club of the province of Pavia

1969

Pavia (ITA) – He was co-opted as a member of the Provincial BoD of the Italian Federation of Sport Fishing (FIPS), as the Director of the Underwater Department

1972

Rome (ITA) – Under his leadership, the club was recognized as a “Federal School”.

1975

Rome (ITA) – He was co-opted as a member of the National Underwater Commission

1980

Rome (ITA) – He contributed to drafting the new Bylaws of FIPS which recognized the new sectors of Underwater Activities, and Fin-swimming / Orienteering.

1981

Rome (ITA) – He was elected President of the new Department Fin-swimming and Orienteering of FIPS.

Rome (ITA) – He became member of the Board of Directors of FIPS.

1984

Orta - Novara (ITA) – He was the Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 1st National Technical Conference on Fin-swimming.

1985

Miami (USA) – C.M.A.S. General Assembly

He was elected member of Fin-swimming International Commission.

Verona (ITA) – He was the Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 1st International Technical Conference on Fin-swimming: Features and Issues of Fin-swimming in the Developmental Age.

1986

Rome (ITA) – He was awarded the Silver Star for Sport Merits of the Italian National Olympic Committee “For the services rendered to Italian Sport”.

Verona (ITA) – He was the Chair of the 2nd International Technical Conference on Fin-swimming: Fin-swimming and Performance, Theory and Practice.

1987

Malta (MLT) - C.M.A.S. General Assembly

He was elected President of Fin-swimming International Commission

1988

Pisa (ITA) – He was the Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 3rd International Technical Conference on Fin-swimming: The Competition Specialisation in Fin-swimming.

1990

Rome (ITA) – He was the Chair of the Organizing Committee of Fin-swimming World Championships.

Venice (ITA) – He was the Chair of the Organizing Committee of the 4th International Technical Conference on Fin-swimming.

1991

Rome (ITA) – He was awarded the Golden Star for Sports Merits of the Italian National Olympic Committee “For the services rendered to Italian Sport”.

Sharm El Sheik (EGY) C.M.A.S. General Assembly
He was elected President of the Sport Committee

1992

Rome (ITA) – He was awarded the prize “écusson d’or du Comité Sportif de la C.M.AS.

Rome (ITA) – He drafted the first text of the “Procedures and obligations for the organisation of C.M.A.S. Championships”.

1993

Nicosia (CYP) - C.M.A.S. General Assembly

He was elected President of the World Underwater Federation (C.M.A.S.) Confédération Mondiale des Activités Subaquatiques.

1994

Ilo (PER) – He was awarded the honorary citizenship of the town of Ilo – Peru”

Lausanne (SUI) – He was awarded the “Médaille du Centenaire” by the IOC “for the services rendered to the Olympic movement”.

1995

Mauritius (MRI) - C.M.A.S. General Assembly

He was re-elected President of the World Underwater Federation

1997

Lausanne (SUI) - C.M.A.S. General Assembly

He was re-elected President of the World Underwater Federation.

Bari (ITA) – He chaired the Organizing Committee of the Fin-swimming gala event on the occasion of the Mediterranean Games.

Aqaba (JOR) – He promoted and participated in establishing CMAS Arab zone.

1998

Paris (FRA) – He was awarded the Golden Medal of the Minister of Youth and Sports of the French Republic to “Acknowledge the excellent services rendered to Sport within the framework of underwater activities and his commitment to raising awareness on the protection of the marine environment at international level”.

Santiago de Cali (COL) – He was awarded the “Honorary Citizenship of the town of Santiago de Cali”

1999

Rome (ITA) – He was awarded the “Claque d’Honneur” of the Olympic Committee of New Caledonia

2001

Monaco (MON) - C.M.A.S. General Assembly 

He was re-elected President of the World Underwater Federation

Singapore (SIN) – He was elected member of the Board of Auditors of the Association of the International Olympic Committee Recognized International Sports Federations (ARISF)

2002

Pavia (ITA) – He was awarded the prize “Citizens of Pavia Worldwide”, by the Chamber of Industry, Agriculture and Craftsmanship.

2003

Rome (ITA) – He promoted the establishment of “CMAS Games” for all the sports of the Confederation.

2004

Iquique (CHI) – He was awarded the honorary citizenship of the town of Iquique” (Chile) for supporting and developing Spearfishing.

Lisbon (POR) – In collaboration with CIPS, he promoted the introduction of Spearfishing in the  “Sea Games”.

2005 

Seville (ESP) -   C.M.A.S. General Assembly

He was re-elected President of the World Underwater Federation

2007 

Bari (ITA) –  C.M.A.S. World Games

He inaugurated the First Edition of CMAS World Games

2009

Phuket (THA) - C.M.A.S. General Assembly

He was re-elected President of the World Underwater Federation

2011    

He was awarded the Golden Trident of the International Academy of Underwater Science and Technology

Also important was his contribution to the candidacy of fin-swimming at the Olympic Games held in Athens in 2004, unfortunately without a positive outcome. We hope that one day this dream of seeing the inclusion of one of CMAS sports disciplines, to which he held a lot, can come true. We also owe to him the signature of the treaty with UNESCO in the scientific field, for a continuous and close collaboration in this field.

He has been a guide for the whole confederation and will remain in the memory of all of us. CMAS joins his family in their mourning.