Sven Låftman

Sven Låftman spent his life dedicated to sports first as a champion athlete before going on to head multiple sporting associations and unions. Låftman’s Olympic career started with him competing at the 1908 London Games and finished with him working as a referee at the three Winter Olympics that were held in the 1960s. He was the President of the International Skating Union from 1971 to 1977 and was one of the founders of the Swedish sports magazine Idrottsbladet.

In 1907 Låftman briefly held the Swedish long jump record when he jumped 6.59 metres. In the same year at the Swedish championships he won silver in the pole vault and the 4 x 100 metres relay. In 1908 Låftman was the national champion in the 400 metres and won bronze in both the 100 and 200 metres. He competed at the 1908 London Olympics, running in the 200 metres, 400 metres, and the 1,600 metres medley relay. In the 100 metres Låftman won his heat but did not start in the semi-finals. He was also listed to compete in the long jump and the triple jump but did not start either event.

Låftman was a member of the IFK Karlstad sports club where he was their secretary from 1903 to 1905 and their chairman from 1905 to 1908. He then became the secretary of the Värmland Sports Association from 1906 to 1909. After moving to Stockholm Låftman worked on the board of the Swedish Skating Association from 1910 to 1913. His first national role came with the Swedish Sports Association where he was their chairman from 1916 to 1919.

After working as the chair of IK Göta in Stockholm during the 1920s and 1930s Låftman became the chairman of the Swedish Skating Association from 1949 to 1971. During this time he was also the Vice-President of the International Skating Union from 1951 to 1971 and went on to be their President from 1971 to 1977. Låftman was a referee in 20 speed skating events across three editions of the Winter Olympics; 1960 Squaw Valley, 1964 Innsbruck, and 1968 Grenoble. He was awarded with the Olympic Order in Silver in 1977.

Personal Bests: 200 – 23.2 (1908); 400 – 50.3y (1908).