The British official was confirmed to have died in hospital on April 1 following a short illness, and had been due to officiate at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.

It would have been a third Olympic Games for Doney, who previously worked at Seoul 1988 and London 2012.

He filled two roles in London, as a member of the jumping ground jury and as the jumping judge for the final medals decider for eventing.

The FEI said he was due to officiate at his third Olympic Games in Tokyo as President of the ground jury.

British Showjumping said Doney had been extremely honoured to have been appointed to the position and had viewed the role as the pinnacle of his career to date. 

The organisation added that his commitment to ensuring he was fully prepared for the role was clearly evident and added that he would have without doubt delivered it superbly.

"We are devastated to hear of Jon Doney's tragic passing," said Sabrina Ibáñez, FEI secretary general.

"He was phenomenally experienced in all his roles and officiated at an incredible number of top-level events.

"He will be remembered for all that, but also for his talent as a great raconteur that would have all around him rocking with laughter.

"He was such a charismatic and cherished member of the FEI family and we will miss him enormously.

"An incredible soul has been stolen from us."

The FEI expressed its deepest sympathy to Doney's wife Mary and their family, as well as his friends on the international circuit, the British Equestrian Federation and the global equestrian community.

The governing body said Doney began riding at a young age and his love of the jumping discipline initially came from his younger sister.

He became a show organiser and judge at national level, before becoming an FEI official.

Doney would officiate at the world's most respected events, including competitions at iconic venues such as Barcelona, Aachen, Verona, Rome, Dublin and London Olympia.

He became the course designer at Hickstead and was later appointed to the same role for the FEI World Equestrian Games in 1994, which took place in The Hague.

The FEI said Doney was involved in three FEI World Equestrian Games during his long career, as well as three FEI European Championships at San Patrignano in Italy, Windsor in Britain and Aachen in Germany.

He served as President of the ground jury at the later event, held in 2015.

Doney officiated at five Longines FEI Jumping Nations Cup Finals in Barcelona, and the FEI World Cup Finals at 's-Hertogenbosch in 2012 and Gothenburg in 2016.

He became a Member of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen's Birthday Honours List in June 2014.