Tauber, then a 42-year-old, triumphed in the individual table tennis competition at Toronto 1976, the fifth edition of the Paralympic Games. 

His result was not made official, however, after the Hungarian delegation were forced to leave the Games under Soviet political pressure.

Subsequently, Tauber was symbolically presented with his gold medal in 2016, during a ceremony for the Hungarian Paralympic team which was travelling to Rio de Janeiro for the Games. 

"His death shocked all of us - the death of the first Hungarian Paralympic champion is an irreplaceable loss," the Hungarian Paralympic Committee said.

"The Hungarian disability sports community and the entire Hungarian Paralympic Family suffered a tremendous loss. 

"We lost a great role model, a unique athlete and a cheerful, cool champion."

In 1945, at the age of 11, Tauber had lost both of his forearms after a hand grenade which he was carrying detonated. 

He then learned to play table tennis at Hungary's National Home for the Disabled. 

In 1970, Tauber founded the Halassy Olivér Sports Club, the first sports organisation in Hungary to help the disabled.

The organisation's founding date of February 22 is now Hungarian Parasport Day.

The International Paralympic Committee (IPC), Hungarian Table Tennis Association and Hungarian Paralympic Champions Club are also among those to pay tribute to Tauber. 

"The IPC sends its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Zoltan Tauber," the governing body said in a statement.