Francis out, Davis-Thompson in as area retains six seats on IAAF Council. At the IAAF Congress held in Osaka on August 22nd, there was a major reshuffling of seats as the four sitting vice presidents either retired or were defeated and five new members were elected to the Council.
Amadeo Francis, who was completing his 31st year on the Council, failed in his bid for re-election as a vice president which would more or less have assured him of the designation as senior vice president while Robert Hersh of the USA claimed one of the four vice presidencies, where he will be accompanied by Olympic greats Sergey Bubka (UKR), who was designated senior vice president and Sebastian Coe. Also elected as a vice president was Major Gen. Dahlan al-Hamad of oil-rich Qatar who replaces well-liked Lou Dapeng of China and will represent Asia.
Olympic medalist from the Bahamas Pauline Davis-Thompson was elected to one of the four chairs open to women at this Congress. There she will be joined by Abby Hoffman, now serving her fifth term on the Council.
The other NACAC members on the Council are recently elected NACAC president Neville McCook who returns as Area Representative, César Moreno Bravo of Mexico and Alberto Juantorena of Cuba.
We wish all the members good luck as they commence their four year stint on the world governing body for track and field.
