Robert Smith, who helped secure baseball's place on the Olympic programme for Barcelona 1992, has died ©WBSC

Former International Baseball Federation (IBF) President Robert Smith - credited for putting the sport on the Olympic programme - has died aged 85.

Smith of the United States was head of the IBF, now known as the World Baseball Softball Confederation (WBSC), in 1986 when baseball secured its place at the Barcelona 1992 Olympics.

He was bestowed the Olympic Order, the highest honour given by the International Olympic Committee, for his efforts in making baseball an official medal sport.

WBSC President Riccardo Fraccari led the tributes to Smith.

"Very sad to learn of the passing of former International Baseball Federation President Robert Smith," said Fraccari.

"The baseball world as we know it today is because of visionaries like Robert Smith."

Smith obtained the support of Peter O'Malley, the owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball (MLB), to help baseball feature as a demonstration tournament at Los Angeles 1984.

Two years later, the IOC made baseball an official Olympic sport.

Following baseball's Olympic debut in 1992 and showings at Atlanta 1996 and Syndey 2000 Games, WBSC said the sport’s global footprint had expanded to more than 100 countries and territories, more than doubling its National Federations.

During Smith's tenure as President, he started the Honours Programme, began developing the Under-16 and Under-18 World Cups, signed the first sponsorship contract with Rawlings and published a World Baseball Magazine.

Smith also worked with International Softball Federation President Don Porter to create the International Confederation of Amateur Baseball and Softball.

The project stood until 1986 when softball did not make the Olympic programme.

After the success of the 1992 Olympics, Smith stepped down as IBF President a year later and was replaced by Aldo Notari of Italy.

"I had been named President of the Greenville College, so I thought I needed to spend more time there," said Smith in an interview with WBSC publication The Game We Love in 2011.

"I didn’t want to be a shadow President.

"I had seen so many leaders fall in love with the fringe benefits that come with international sports leadership.

"I have always been so fortunate to be in the right place at the right time."