His award was presented by the ANOC secretary general Gunilla Lindberg, marking a career  that included almost 20 years of campaigning against discrimination in sport as chairman of the South Africa non-racial Olympic Committee, widely known as SANROC.

"It is a great honour to receive this award from Gunilla, who I have worked with for many years," said the 81-year-old honorary International Olympic Committee member.

"We have worked together on Olympism, the development of sport and non-racial issues.

"We had an uphill struggle to get to where we are, especially regarding Olympism in the Southern part of Africa, which was colonised for a very long time.

"The IOC helped us tremendously.

"We helped Africa gain its respect again and we have ensured Africa has got the dignity it enjoys today."

Ramsamy, who had to move house while he was living and campaigning in England due to attacks from right-wing groups, returned to South Africa upon the lifting of apartheid and became President of South Africa’s National Olympic Committee from 1991.

Ramsamy’s was one of four individual special awards at the end of the evening, with the one for Outstanding Performance being handed over by IOC President Thomas Bach to his fellow German Katarina Witt, winnoer fhte Olympic ladies’ singles figure skating gold at Sajarevo 1984 and Calgary 1988. 

Witt, now 53, also secured four ladies singles’ world titles between 1984 and 1988. 

After joining professional ranks she returned to Olympic skating in 1994 at the Lillehammer Winter Olympics and finished seventh.

Witt contrasted the dreams that arose when the Berlin Wall came down 30 years ago with fractured state of world politics right now.

"When controversial politics gets in the way it is arts, music, poetry and sport that unites us," she said.

She later told insidethegames: "When the Wall came down it was a big change in my life and helped me follow my dream.

"I have had a Foundation for 15 years and we have been able to support 500 projects for children with disabilities.

"In Germany and worldwide we help children to get back mobility through sport, for instance wheelchairs and a sports programme.

"I am quite proud of what we have done."

Japan’s 1984 Open weight judo champion Yasuhiro Yamashita was named as the ANOC Outstanding Athlete - and arrived on stage quarter of an hour later to pick it up, having missed the original announcement.

Yamashita, 62, received the Japanese National Prize of Honour in 1984 and retired in 1985 undefeated with 203 consecutive wins.

 He also collected five world titles and went on to coach the Japanese judo team in 2000 before becoming the Japanese Olympic Committee President earlier this year.

He was a replacement for Tsunekazu Takeda after he was forced to resign following a corruption scandal linked to Tokyo's successful bid for the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

In the mini re-run of his ceremony, Yamashita apologised for his earlier no-show - "I was not aware" - adding: "This year we host the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

"We want to do our best performance, and show our best preparation. 

"Thank you!"

Qatar Olympic Committee President Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani won the final award of the evening.

He took the prize for the "Contribution to the Olympic Movement".

It was clearly a gesture of thanks to Qatar for stepping in to stage the first edition of the World Beach Games at only three months’ notice after financial shortfalls meant the original staging in San Diego had to be abandoned.

"Thank you very much," Al Thani said on receiving his award.

"I would like to thank my colleagues in the Qatar Olympic Committee and the Local Organising Committees for all the competitions we have helped organise.