Vale Frances Crampton AM

Sport NSW mourns the passing of Life Member and founding leader Frances Crampton AM, whose immeasurable contribution shaped the landscape of sport in New South Wales and beyond. Frances passed away peacefully on Thursday following a long illness.

A trailblazer, advocate, and mentor, Frances was a tireless champion for respect, equality, and inclusion. Her legacy stretches across generations, codes, and communities.

In the early 1990s, amidst threats to the funding of state sporting organisations, Frances worked with fellow sport leaders to establish the NSW Sports Federation—now known as Sport NSW. She was elected Chair of its first council and served as both Chair and CEO from 1991 to 2009. Under her leadership, she founded the Sport NSW Annual Sports Awards, a testament to her commitment to celebrating excellence at all levels of sport.

Frances’ outstanding service to Australian sport earned her some of the nation’s highest honours. She was awarded the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 1995 for her service to gymnastics, and the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in 2004 for her wider contributions to sport.

Her influence on gymnastics spanned over four decades. As an elite athlete, coach, judge, and administrator, she represented Australia at five Olympic Games and five Commonwealth Games in roles ranging from team manager to commentator and production manager. From 1986 to 2000, she served as CEO of Gymnastics NSW, driving significant membership growth and program development.

Frances also held governance roles with Gymnastics Australia, Golf Australia, and Softball NSW. From 2012 to 2016, she served as a Board Director of Gymnastics Australia and more recently, played a pivotal role in the national rollout of the Fitter for Life program, helping older Australians stay active and connected.

Frances was deeply respected as a mentor to emerging leaders, administrators, and coaches. Her kindness, tenacity, and unwavering belief in the unifying power of sport earned her admiration across the sporting landscape.

She was a Life Member of Sport NSW, Gymnastics NSW, and Gymnastics Australia.

In accordance with her wishes, there will be no funeral or flowers. Instead, those wishing to honour her memory are encouraged to make donations to Cancer Research through the following link ACRF - In memory of Frances

Her personal website will be converted into a memorial site, where friends and colleagues can share their tributes and memories.

Frances Crampton AM leaves behind a profound legacy of leadership, generosity, and enduring impact. She will be sorely missed by the entire sporting community.