President of Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF), International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Vice-President and newly-elected Asian Athletics Association (AAA) President Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad speaks to the media after the AAA elections in Pune, India, yesterday.
PUNE, India: Qatar’s Dahlan Jumaan Al Hamad yesterday was elected the new President of Asian Athletics Association (AAA) by ousting India’s Suresh Kalmadi.
Al Hamad, a hugely popular figure in International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) circles, won by two votes to spike Kalmadi’s bid for a fourth term.
The hotly-contested AAA election took place ahead of this week’s the Asian track and field championships which open here tomorrow.
“It was a tough election,” Hamad told reporters as he emerged briefly from the meeting. “Members saw the work done by both parties and voted accordingly. People have chosen those they see will serve them well. What has happened is good for the future,” the IAAF Vice- President added.
“Today a new era for the Asian athletics commences; a new era in which we will use all our forces to boost the image of our beloved sport, to reform the structure of the AAA from its foundations,” he said.
“I have a vision for Asian athletics and therefore I have drawn a detailed plan, whose execution begins immediately and is based on realistic ideas and proposals. This will be the vehicle to pave the way for a bright future.
“I am sending an open invitation to all the AAA member countries to stand on my side and fight with me. We are living in a vast continent where there are numerous financial sources to derive support. We just need to showcase that we owe the right product which is worthy investing in.
“I am quite positive that the day the Asian athletics will stand in a much higher spot, will not be delayed.
“It is an auspicious time to move forward and we have to concentrate all our powers to fulfill our quest,” he added.
An official said Al Hamad had garnered 20 votes against Kalmadi’s 18, while seven votes were invalid.
Kalmadi, a former Indian Olympic Association chief, is currently on bail after spending 10 months in jail over charges of corruption during his tenure as chief organiser of the chaotic 2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi.
“I have no issues today and I congratulate Mr Al Hamad for being elected as President,” the 69-year-old said.
He added: “I am in fact relieved that I will now be able to work at the grassroots level in athletics.”
Al Hamad, who is the President of Qatar Athletics Federation (QAF), praised his predecessor as someone who had done a lot for Asian athletics.
“We can’t forget Kalmadi’s contribution,” he said. “He has done a lot and we have to carry the flag forward,” he added.
The dysfunctional organisation of the Delhi Commonwealth Games -- the most expensive in the event’s history at $6bn -- led to Kalmadi becoming a public hate-figure and he was booed by the crowd during the two-week event.
The 2010 Commonwealth Games were intended to showcase India on the global stage, but infrastructure problems, delays and widespread corruption allegations instead highlighted many of the problems that blight the country.
International athletics boss Lamine Diack of Senegal was on hand to see Kalmadi be dethroned from a post he has held since 2001.
Al Hamad, whose elevation is another victory for ultra-wealthy Qatar, defended the large number of invalidated votes and denied any wrongdoing had taken place.
“Mistakes happen in voting but democracy has to prevail in the end,” the Qatari said.
Al Hamad, 56, a Qatari military official, served under Kalmadi as the AAA’s senior Vice-President and is also one of the four vice-presidents of the IAAF.
In April, under Al Hamad’s chairmanship, QAF brought together for 14th GCC Athletics Championships before staging the IAAF Samsung Diamond League opener on May 10 at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium.
In late May, QAF staged the 18th Arab Athletics Championships, assembling the best of athletes from the Arab world at Suheim Bin Hamad Stadium.
Qatar’s reputation as a top sporting destination was boosted when the capital Doha successfully hosted the Asian Games in 2006.
Qatar will also be the first Arab state to host the football World Cup in 2022. Qatar bought French club Paris-Saint-Germain (PSG) last year for $130m.
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