US artist LeRoy Neiman, an official painter of five Olympiads famed for his instant renditions of sporting action, has died in New York aged 91.

One of the world's most commercially successful contemporary artists, Neiman's colorful paintings were as distinctive as his handlebar moustache.

He captured events as diverse as the Super Bowl, the Grand National and the Cannes Film Festival.

Some of his most famous paintings were of the boxer Muhammad Ali.

His publicist Gail Parenteau confirmed his death at a Manhattan hospital but did not disclose the cause.

Neiman - who is survived by his wife Janet Byrne - had continued to paint despite having his right leg amputated in April 2010 following a vascular problem, BBC News reported.