A former President of the Vietnam Olympic Committee has died ©VOC

Former Vietnam Olympic Committee (VOC) President Hoàng Vĩnh Giang has died at the age of 75.

The death of the honorary Olympic Council of Asia Executive Board member was announced by his family.

Giang, who led the VOC until 2016, had a history of heart disease, high blood pressure and diabetes.

A former national high jump champion, Giang had been the President of the Vietnam Traditional Martial Arts Federation and a vice-president of the ASEAN Sport Federation at the time of his death.

Hoàng Vĩnh Giang was President of the Organising Committee when Vietnam hosted the 2003 Southeast Asian Games ©Getty Images
Hoàng Vĩnh Giang was President of the Organising Committee when Vietnam hosted the 2003 Southeast Asian Games ©Getty Images

"His death is a big loss to his family and Vietnamese sport," said Trần Đức Phấn, deputy director of Vietnam Sport Administration. 

"Please may he rest in peace."

Giang is credited with bringing wushu, pencak silat and sepak takraw to Vietnam in the 1980s.

He led the Organising Committee for the 2003 Southeast Asian Games in Hanoi, where the country finished at the top of the medal table for the first time.

Vietnam also hosted the Asian Indoor Games in 2009 and the Asian Beach Games in 2016 under Giang's leadership of the VOC.