AFI chief Sumariwalla elected IAAF Council member

BEIJING: Athletics Federation of India President Adille Sumariwalla was today elected as one of the members of the prestigious Council of the IAAF, the global governing body of the sport, in its polls held here.

Sumariwalla, an Olympian 100m runner, was elected as one of the nine individual members of the all-powerful IAAF Council at the 50th Congress of the world athletics body held a day ahead of the start of the World Athletics Championships.

Sumariwalla is the first Indian to be elected in the IAAF Council. He got 61 votes in the second round to get elected.

Former AFI and Indian Olympic Association President Suresh Kalmadi was also earlier a member of the IAAF Council from 2001 to 2013 but by virtue of his being the chief of the Asian Athletics Association and not through an election.

Seats are also reserved for chiefs of continental athletics bodies at the IAAF Council.

The Commonwealth Games scam-tainted Kalmadi lost his seat as an ordinary member after he was defeated in the AAA presidential elections to Dahlan Al-Hamad of Qatar in Pune in 2013.

"Thanks to all who believed in me, encouraged me and ran my campaign," Sumariwalla said after his election.