This Wednesday, August 19, Cuban Alberto Juantorena was elected as one of four vice presidents of the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF), during the organization’s Congress held in Beijing, which will host the World Athletics Championships beginning Saturday, August 22.
The 400 and 800 meters Olympic champion (Montreal-1976) was only surpassed by Sergey Bubka (187 votes), who after being defeated by Sebastian Coe in the race for president, was reelected as a vice president; in addition to Dahlan al Ahmad from Qatar (159) and Hamad Kalkaba Malboum (115) from Cameroon.
Juantorena, 400 meters (44.26 seconds) and 800 meters (1:43.44 minutes) Olympic champion during his time, became the first Latin American to be elected to the position, given that Colombian Ramiro Varela, one of the 21 IAAF Council members, was not selected.
“In truth, it’s recognition from the athletics world. Not of me as an individual, but of the Cuban athletics family, which has put our nation on top. We are focused on working in favor of world athletics. It’s extremely important to direct our efforts toward universalizing athletics and practicing the sport in schools. I feel very touched. Behind every achievement there is the coach, the doctor, the masseuse, the Cuban sports system and philosophy. They provided me with everything I needed to become Olympic champion.
“It will be a privilege to work with Sebastian Coe. He beat my 800 meters record in 1979. It was a difficult choice between two such outstanding candidates, but the Congress elected Sebastian Coe. I will work body and soul, shoulder to shoulder with him in order to fulfill the great responsibility that has been bestowed on me,” the President of the Cuban Athletics Federation stated.
COE PRESIDENT
In the vote for President, the UK’s Sebastian Coe, two-times 1,500 meter Olympic champion (Moscow 1980 - Los Angeles 1984), received 115 of a possible 207 votes by representatives of the IAAF member federations, while his opponent Ukrainian former athlete Sergey Bubka secured 92.
At 58 years old, Coe will officially take office on 31 August, replacing the organization’s current President, Senegalese former Long jumper, Lamine Diack.
He will be taking over the reigns of global athletics at a time when the sport’s image has been tarred by recent doping scandals exposed by German broadcaster ARD and UK newspaper the Sunday Times.Among his electoral commitments he promised toadvance toward the creation of an independent anti-doping agency. He expressed his commitment to tackling the issue, noting that “There is a universal problem with (doping) in sport."
