KUALA LUMPUR: Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri'ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah and Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah conveyed condolences to the family of a former national hockey player, Freddy Wilfred Vias who died on Tuesday.

Their Majesties also expressed their sadness with the passing of Freddy and hoped that his family would be patient and resolute in facing the situation.

"Their Majesties appreciate and praise highly his service, deeds, and sacrifices to the country and described his passing as a great loss to the country's hockey," according to a post on the Istana Negara Facebook page, this morning.

Freddy died at his home in Petaling Jaya on June 7 at the age of 93.

He was a national team player in the 1950s and was the national team captain in 1954.

Freddy was one of the key players who helped the national squad to make its debut at the 1956 Olympic Games in Melbourne, Australia.

He was elected as the Johor Hockey Association secretary from 1950 to 1953 and the Negeri Sembilan Hockey Association secreatry from 1956 to 1957.

He was also selected as one of the 80 torchbearers for the Olympic Torch Relay held in conjunction with the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

-- BERNAMA