Nurowski, 64, will be laid to rest at a ceremony due to be held at the Cathedral of St.. Michael and Florian in Praga, an historical Borough of Warsaw located on the east bank of the River Vistula.

Several dignitaries from the Olympic Movement had planned to attend the funeral but their attendance is now in doubt because of the closure of air space all across Europe.

The funeral of Poland's President Lech Kaczynski and his wife Maria, who were also on the plane that crashed last Saturday (April 10), along with several other high-ranking members of the country's political elite, while attempting to land in thick fog at Smolensk airport, took place in Kracow today.

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev was one of the few world leaders who overcame the plane crisis caused by the volcanic ash from Iceland and managed to attend.

Jacques Rogge, the President of the International Olympic Committee, has sent a message of condolences to Nurowski's family and the POC.

He said: "Piotr's death is a great loss for us all and for the Olympic Movement as a whole.

"His extraordinary commitment and enthusiasm promoting the values of sport and Olympism in Poland, as well as his great contribution to the Olympic Movement in Europe, will remain in our memory forever.

"He was a great friend and we will miss him terribly."

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