Famous veteran Turkish journalist Halit Kıvanç died at the age of 97 on Tuesday, according to a statement made by his son Ümit Kıvanç on Twitter.

Kıvanç, who was best known for being a sports commentator, also worked as a presenter on TV and radio, a humorist and a writer.

The Twitter statement did not mention the cause of his death.

He studied law at Istanbul University and became a judge, but left his profession to pursue his dreams in journalism.

Kıvanç was the first Turkish journalist to be admitted to visit the Pope in the Vatican in 1952, during his visit to Italy to interview Turkish football players playing for Italian clubs.

As a pioneering journalist, Kıvanç worked in senior positions for numerous Turkish media outlets, including Milliyet, Tercüman, Hürriyet and Güneş.

In 1953, he co-founded the country’s first sports daily Türkiye Spor with Alp Zirek and Halit Talayer.

He also worked for the BBC for nearly a year.

Kıvanç also worked as a presenter in the Olympics and various global competitions and is the first Turkish person to present the FIFA World Cup in the country.

He was a household name for Turkish state broadcaster TRT’s culture and arts programs, as well as the April 23rd Children’s Day celebrations.

His funeral will take place at the Zincirlikuyu Mosque on Oct. 27.