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PETALING JAYA: Sports journalist and journalist Tony Francis (pix) passed away peacefully on Monday after a battle with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF).
Tony, a former New Straits Times news editor-in-chief who worked at the New Straits Times group for 35 years from 1967 to 2002, was 73 at the time of his passing.
Tony, a dedicated and talented media professional, was well known for his sports reporting. His teammates described him as the best sportswriter in the country.
Tony began his career in his early 20s at the New Straits Times and rose through the ranks of a cadet reporter before becoming deputy sports editor, sports editor, chief news editor, and associate editor before retiring in 2002.
Tony also worked at MalayMail as editor-in-chief, as well as venturing into the golf scene as Golf Digest editor with lifestyle publisher Blu Inc.
Tony’s decorated career saw him cover two Olympic Games in Korea (1988) and Barcelona (1992), as well as three World Cups (1974 Germany, 2006 Berlin and 2010 in South Africa), in addition to other sporting events such as the Thomas Cup, the SEA Games and Asian Games.
His contribution to sports also led him to be inducted into the Malaysian Olympic Council Hall of Fame.
He is survived by his wife and two children.
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