Frankie Thanapal Sinniah, secretary-general of the Singapore National Paralympic Council (SNPC) and ex-President of the Singapore Disability Sports Council (SDSC), was said to have suffered a suspected cardiac arrest.

A former swimmer who won many medals while representing his country at disability sports meetings around the world, Sinniah achieved even more prominence as a sports administrator.

In 2004, he acted as manager of the Singapore sailing team at the Athens Paralympics, moving up to be Chef de Mission at the Beijing Games four years later and again at London 2012.

An island-nation of just five million people, Singapore won four medals, including one gold, at the Beijing Paralympics; it took a silver and a bronze in London.

Chris Chan, secretary-general of the Singapore National Olympic Council, described Sinniah as the face of disability sports in Singapore.

He said his passing was a great loss.