Among those who attended the ceremony were Irena Szewińska, Poland's greatest ever sportswoman who is a member of the International Olympic Committee, and Poland's Sports Minister Adam Giersz.

Others who attended were Tomasz Majewski, the Olympic shot put gold medallist, and Anita Włodarczyk, the world hammer champion.

Thomas Bach, the vice-president of the IOC, also managed to make the trip from Germany despite the closure of much of Europe's air space due to the problems caused by the volcanic ash.

Giersz said: "On behalf of the Prime Minister Donald Tusk and the Polish Government, I pay our respects.

"Polish sport has lost a great leader."

Before the burial, a mass was held at the Cathedral of St. Michael and Florian in Praga where a ceremony was conducted by Bishop Marian Florczyk.

Nurowski, 64, was killed while travelling on the same plane as Polish President Lech Kaczynski which crashed in thick fog as it approached Smolensk airport on April 10.

He was due to lay a wreath at Katyn to commemorate Olympic athletes murdered in the massacre.

Bishop Florczyk said:  "I believe now that God himself gave him the laurel wreath, because he did not live only for ourselves but for the family that he loved so much for the people and for the sport, which he was passionate about."

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