Sir Craig Reedie, a giant of the Olympic movement, who served as chair of the British Olympic Association for more than a decade and was instrumental in bringing the Games to London in 2012, has died at the age of 84.

Tributes have poured in for the Scots-born Reedie, who was also president of the World Anti-Doping Agency (Wada) when Russia was found guilty of state-sponsored doping across “a vast majority” of winter and summer sports, including at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. During this tumultuous period, Reedie and Wada recommended that Russia be banned from the 2016 Rio Games – a call that was ultimately rejected by the International Olympic Committee.

Reedie was vice-president of the IOC during part of his Wada tenure and a former badminton competitor who led the campaign for its Olympic inclusion starting at Barcelona ‘92.

Sebastian Coe, the World Athletics president, who led the organising committee for the London Games on whose board Reedie sat, said: “I am devastated for his family. Craig was my mentor, wise counsel, passionate advisor, and great friend. He was the distinguished elder statesman with a reservoir of Olympic knowledge and experience which he shared willingly and to great effect.

“Without Craig and his leadership of the British Olympic Association, we may never have won the right to host London 2012. Craig was a sportsman at heart, but he had the mind and tenacity of a politician. He was equal parts opinionated, wise, canny, and, most of all, loyal to those who legitimately wanted to serve sport. The epitome of a gentleman.”

Reedie represented Great Britain in badminton in the 1960s before venturing into sports administration, beginning with the Scottish Badminton Union. In 1981 he was elected International Badminton Federation president, becoming BOA chair in 1992 and joining the IOC two years later. He served as vice-president on the IOC from 2012 to 2016, a period which overlapped with his presidency of Wada.

Dame Katherine Grainger, the current BOA chair, praised his fight against doping and his support for the Olympic movement and its competitors.

“If you have worked in Olympic sport, then it’s highly likely that you would have known Sir Craig Reedie,” Grainger said. “How lucky we all were.

“Whether he was rubbing shoulders with the higher echelons of the IOC membership, or making his way around the British Olympic Association’s offices to chat with staff members, he was never short of a word of encouragement, or some gentle wise counsel.

“Few knew the Olympic movement better and fewer still served it with such distinction. His dedicated service to the BOA, to the IOC and to Wada is notable.

“He always fought hard for Olympic sport, and fought harder still for clean sport. In doing so he saw the good and, inevitably, the bad of our sporting system. It was the measure of Craig that it never diminished his love of sport and the Olympic movement in particular.

“Craig awarded me some of my Olympic medals, so I had the privilege of being consoled and congratulated by him, and knowing he understood exactly what those moments meant.

“I only hope Lady Rosemary and family can be comforted by the warmth and affection with which we will hold Sir Craig’s memory by.”