Awarded Life Membership 18 February 1978
Birth: 29 January 1907, Brisbane QLD
Death: 28 January 2001, Brisbane QLD (93 years)
Norm Gailey was a leading Queensland and Australian cycling administrator and a prime instigator for Brisbane hosting the Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games.
His amateur cycling career was with the Kangaroo Point Cycling Club in Brisbane and in 1930 his club team set an Australian 25-mile team record.
He became President of the Queensland Amateur Cycling Union and went on to be elected President of the Australian Amateur Cycling Federation (AACF) for 35 years. At the end of his term as President, he was a key administrator in organising the merger of AACF and the Australian Professional Cycling Council to form the Australian Cycling Federation.
He was a member of the Organising Committee for the Melbourne 1956 Olympic Games and Cycling Section Manager at Rome 1960 Olympic Games.
Norm is credited with initiating the Brisbane to bid for the Commonwealth Games. As the Queensland representative at a 1969 Australian Commonwealth Games Association (ACGA) meeting concerning nominating a host city, Norm boldly suggested that Brisbane would be a viable host city. This led him to convincing Brisbane Lord Mayor Clem Jones to bid for the Games and in 1973 he was a key member of Brisbane Commonwealth Games Invitation and Organising Committee. In 1976, Brisbane was awarded the rights to host Commonwealth Games. He was appointed a member of the Foundation of the XII Commonwealth Games.
The Norm Gailey Grandstand at the Sleeman Sports Complex, one of the main venues at the Brisbane Games, is testament to his contribution to sport in Queensland and Brisbane Games.
In 1994, Norm retired as President of the ACGA Queensland Division, a position held for 15 years. He was ACGA Vice President from 1979 to 1987.
In 1967, Norm was awarded the Order of the British Empire – Member (Civil) (Imperial) (MBE) in recognition of service to the sport of cycling and in 1989 the Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in recognition of service to the sport of cycling.
His other life memberships included Queensland Amateur Cycling Union (1937) Australian Cycling Federation (1979) and Queensland Olympic Council (1986). In 1985, he was awarded the Australian Olympic Committee Order of Merit.
The Norm Gailey Trophy for Champion State at Australian Track Cycling Championships is long term recognition of his lifetime contribution to cycling.
