BCCI mourns the demise of Olympian and sports medicine specialist Dr Vece Paes

New Delhi, Aug 18 The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) on Monday expressed deep sorrow on the demise of Olympian and noted sports medicine specialist Dr Vece Paes.

Dr Paes, who died on Thursday, was a member of India’s bronze medal-winning men’s hockey team at the 1972 Munich Olympics and also represented the country in the 1971 Hockey World Cup.

Paes, 80, went on to establish himself as one of India’s leading sports medicine experts after his playing career, working extensively with athletes across disciplines for several decades. Dr. Paes was associated with the BCCI from October 2010 to March 2018 as an Anti-Doping and Age Verification Consultant.

He introduced structured educational programmes for anti-doping within the BCCI, significantly enhancing awareness and compliance among players and support staff. His expertise and commitment were instrumental in strengthening the Board’s anti-doping education and testing framework, as well as in implementing age-verification and athlete welfare initiatives.

Paes’ professional integrity and passion for clean sport left an indelible mark on Indian cricket’s support systems. The BCCI said it joins the sporting community in mourning the loss of Paes and in celebrating a life devoted to excellence, integrity, and service to sport.

“Dr. Paes’s association with the BCCI reflected his belief in safeguarding the spirit of sport. His meticulous work in anti-doping, including the introduction of educational initiatives, and his efforts in age verification have benefitted generations of cricketers. We extend our heartfelt condolences to Leander Paes, his family and loved ones,” said BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia in a statement.

Paes was laid to rest on Sunday in a funeral mass held at St Thomas’ Church in Kolkata. Former India cricket captain Sourav Ganguly and Hockey India president Dilip Tirkey were amongst the mourners who joined the bereaved family, friends and members of the sporting fraternity in bidding farewell to Paes.

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