Raffaele Chiulli, right, will serve as the interim head of GAISF ©Getty Images

Raffaele Chiulli will lead the Global Association of International Sports Federations (GAISF) until a new President is elected next year following the death of Patrick Baumann earlier this month, the organisation has confirmed.

The Italian, President of the Association of International Olympic Committee Recognised Federations, has assumed interim charge as head of the GAISF Council.

In a statement, GAISF said their day-to-day operations "continue to be carried out as normal by the secretariat directed by the Council, led by first vice-president Raffaele Chiulli".

Chiulli will be at the helm of GAISF until a permanent President is chosen at next year's General Assembly, scheduled to be held during the SportAccord Summit in Gold Coast in May.

insidethegames understands talks are due to be held in the coming weeks to decide who fills positions on several organisations held by Baumann, who died suddenly while attending the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires on October 13.

Baumann had numerous high-ranking sporting roles, including serving as an International Olympic Committee (IOC) member, International Basketball Federation (FIBA) secretary general and on the World Anti-Doping Agency Executive Committee.

In addition, he was the Coordination Commission chair for the Los Angeles 2028 Summer Olympic Games, President of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics Organising Committee and a Council member of the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations.

Patrick Baumann died at the age of 51 while attending the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires ©FIBA
Patrick Baumann died at the age of 51 while attending the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires ©FIBA

GAISF has also announced a memorial service for Baumann will be held at the Lausanne Cathedral on Friday (November 2).

It will "celebrate the life of a man who made a massive contribution to GAISF and to sport around the world in a number of key roles and who inspired and energised all he met", the umbrella body added.

Baumann passed away at the age of 51 after suffering a heart attack on the Youth Olympic Park.

The Swiss official had attended a sport climbing demonstration before he collapsed and was rushed to the Argerich Hospital, where he died a short while later.

His shock death triggered an outpouring of emotion and tributes to a man tipped as a future IOC President.

The IOC held a memorial service on the Youth Olympic Park in Buenos Aires on October 14, attended by numerous IOC members, FIBA officials and athletes.

IOC President Thomas Bach and FIBA counterpart Horacio Muratore each spoke at the ceremony.