Machine-translated from Faroese and not yet reviewed. Read the original.
Lamine Diack is no longer president of the IAAF. The 82-year-old Diack did not stand again when a new president was to be elected at the congress this morning. Instead, the choice was between two famous gentlemen, indeed two of the very biggest stars athletics has ever seen. One was the 58-year-old middle-distance runner Sebastian Coe from England and the other was the 52-year-old pole vaulter Sergey Bubka from Ukraine.
It turned out to be a very close vote. Sebastian Coe, who was backed by the Nordic countries among others, received 115 votes and Bubka received 92. Sebastian Coe becomes only the sixth president, even though the IAAF is 103 years old. The outgoing Lamine Diack held office from 1999, and before him the famous Primo Nebiolo sat in the driving seat for 18 years. It was under him that the World Championships in Athletics took the shape they have today.
Whether the change of president can help the Faroese get closer to IAAF membership is hard to judge. One can say, though, that we are hardly any further away now. In any case, FÍF will send Sebastian Coe, or Lord Coe as he is also known, a greeting with best wishes for the big task ahead.
Sebastian Coe (centre) is no stranger to Faroese people. Here he has had the chance to say hello to two of the FÍF board members.
Sebastian Coe held the 800 m world record before Wilson Kipketer took it.
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