Franco Zumofen, curling manager at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, has died at the age of 78 ©World Curling

Italy's Franco Zumofen has died at the age of 78, only nine days after being inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame. 

Zumofen, wthe curling manager for the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin, was officially given the honour at the World Curling Federation (WCF) summer bonspiel in Cortina d'Ampezzo on June 16.

He was too ill to attend the ceremony and his award was collected by Gianluca Lorenzi, the son of his best friend Ivo Lorenzi.

Zumofen died last Saturday (June 25).

"On behalf of the World Curling Federation I express our sincerest condolences to the friends and family of our dear friend Franco, and to the whole curling community in Italy," WCF President Kate Caithness said.

“World Curling has lost a great friend and advocate of the sport."

Italy's Franco Zumofen was inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame earlier this month ©World Curling
Italy's Franco Zumofen was inducted into the World Curling Hall of Fame earlier this month ©World Curling

Caithness added: “Throughout his time on the World Curling and international stage, Franco was held in high esteem by his peers and his contribution to our sport is one reason curling is in such good health today.”

Zumofen had also been the curling manager at two editions of the Winter Universiade - in Tarvisio in 2003 and in Turin four years later.

He was also a member of several Organising Committees of curling events across Europe.

These included the 2003 Le Gruyère European Curling Championships, in Courmayeur, the World Mixed Doubles Curling Championship 2009 and Capital One World Men’s Curling Championship 2010, both in Cortina d'Ampezzo.

As a player, he enjoyed a long and distinguished curling career, winning the Italian Curling Championship in 1969.