"But what I want to remember about his exemplary career is not only his multiple records, world records and other hard-earned honours, but above all else, his generosity and kindness as a human being," Diack added.

DEMONS EXORCISED

El Guerrouj's 1,500-5,000 double in Athens was the first since Finn Paavo Nurmi's in 1924 and exorcised the demons from his previous Olympic appearances.

At the 1996 Atlanta Games, El Guerrouj fell at the bell and four years later in Sydney he was outsprinted by Kenyan Noah Ngeny.

But in Athens, El Guerrouj confirmed his greatness in emphatic fashion.

He won the 1,500 metres final in style, pouncing at 800 to hold off Kenyan rival Bernard Lagat. Four days later, he won the most eagerly awaited track clash of the Games in the 5,000 against Ethiopia's 10,000 metres champion Kenenisa Bekele.

El Guerrouj won the first of his four world titles in 1997, also in Athens, ending Algerian Noureddine Morceli's six-year reign as champion.

He shattered Morceli's 1,500 world record by over a second a year later and became practically unbeatable over the distance until suffering a shock defeat in Rome in July 2004.

El Guerrouj finished eighth on the track where he had set his 1,500 and mile world records for only his fourth loss in eight years, two of which were at the 1996 and 2000 Olympics.

He said his form had been affected by breathing problems but he appeared to have put his health problems behind him at the Olympics.