SOCHI, Russia (AP) - China’s senior Olympic official was elected Friday as a vice president of the IOC, returning to the top ranks of the policy-making body.
Yu Zaiqing ran unopposed for the vacant VP post on the International Olympic Committee, reclaiming a position he held previously for four years.
The 62-year-old Yu has been an IOC member since 2000. He already served on the executive board from 2004-12 and as a vice president from 2008-12.
Yu received 80 votes in favor and nine against in the secret voting by IOC members.
Yu fills one of the IOC’s four VP posts. He takes the spot vacated by Thomas Bach after his election as IOC president in September.
The other vice presidents are Nawal El Moutawakel of Morocco, Craig Reedie of Britain and John Coates of Australia.
In another vote, Ugur Erdener of Turkey defeated Dick Pound of Canada for a spot on the executive board. Erdener, head of the international archery federation and Turkey’s national Olympic committee, won 51-42.
Pound, an IOC member since 1978 and former chairman of the World Anti-Doping Agency, served as a vice president in the 1980s and 1990s. But the outspoken Canadian fell short again in his bid to get back onto the powerful board, having lost by one vote - 41-40 - to U.S. member Anita DeFrantz in Buenos Aires in September.
“I’m adding to my impressive collection of silver medals in recent IOC elections,” Pound said after Friday’s result was announced.
Voted onto the IOC as a regular member was Poul-Erik Hoyer of Denmark, based on his role as head of the Badminton World Federation. He was elected by a vote of 76-12.
Re-elected to eight-year terms as regular members were Beatrice Allen of Gambia, Nicole Hoevertsz of Aruba and Tunku Imran of Malaysia.
The voting took place on the final day of the IOC’s general assembly in Sochi ahead of the opening of the Winter Games.
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