Georgs Nagobads was inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010 ©Getty Images

Sports doctor George Nagobads, who was the physician for five United States Olympic ice hockey teams but is probably best known for his association with the Lake Placid 1980 gold medal-winning team, has died at the age of 101.

The victory was known as the "Miracle on Ice" and Nagobads was an important member of the support team for coach Herb Brooks.

It was said that Nagobads prompted Brooks to make Mike Eruzione the captain of the team.

Nagobads also played a vital role in the famous victory over the Soviets by timing the tactical substitutions.

In all, he was team doctor for 15 United States national teams from 1967 to 1990.

Nagobads had been born in Latvia in 1921 and studied at the University of Latvia and the University of Giessen in Germany.

He received his degree in medicine at the University of TĂĽbingen in Frankfurt.

During the Second World War, he escaped the Soviet Union to Germany and later moved to the United States where he began work as a doctor.

In 1958, Nagobads became team physician for the University of Minnesota men's team.

It was at the University that he first came into contact with Brooks.

Nagobads continued in his role for the University until 1992.

In the meantime, he also acted as team physician for the World Hockey Association team Minnesota Fighting Saints in the mid 1970s and spent eight years with the National Hockey League's Minnesota North Stars from 1984 to 1992.

In 1990, he attended the first Women's World Championships in 1990 as US team doctor.

In 2003, the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) presented him with the Paul Loicq Award, which recognises a person who has made "outstanding contributions to the IIHF and international hockey".

He was inducted into the USA Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010 and was described as "one of the greatest influencers of American hockey of his time".