All at UK Athletics are shocked and saddened to report the untimely passing of Jon Mason, one of Britain’s leading technical officials, at the age of 48.

Jon was a member of Sale Harriers Athletics Club and had carried out the role of Club Chair for the last eighteen months, bringing the same enthusiasm to that role as he did to everything he was involved with. He was a member and Company Secretary of the British Athletics Supporters Club, displaying a passion for spectating whenever he wasn’t involved as an official.

Jon was a popular official amongst his colleagues across the country and progressed to the very top of the sport, having officiated at the 2012 Olympics and Paralympics, an experience that made him want to be more involved in para sport.

He was the chief official at the 2017 World Championships in London as well as the Birmingham Commonwealth Games in 2022. He did, however, always support his club and regional events whenever he was available. He acted as a mentor and support to many fellow officials and was always available to answer questions or discuss rules or interpretations with colleagues.

Jon recently passed the assessment to become a World Athletics Silver Level Referee, one of only four in the UK.

Following his introduction to Para sport at the Games in 2012 he became more involved and had reached the highest level of officiating, having been the Technical Delegate at several events. He was in Santiago, Chile on a site visit for the upcoming Para Pan American Games at the time of his premature death.

Tributes have flowed in from all over the world in the days since his death, showing the great respect and admiration in which he was held. He will be greatly missed at local, national and international levels, but everyone’s thoughts in the sport are with his wife, Sam and son, Kristian.