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Olympics-Second term on IOC executive board for Norway's Heiberg

GUATEMALA CITY, July 7 (Reuters) Norway's Gerhard Heiberg won a second term on the International Olympic Committee's (IOC) executive board today, beating three other candidates including the son of former IOC chief Juan Antonio Samaranch.

Juan Antonio Samaranch Jr had been tipped to take over from Heiberg, the head of the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer. But the Spaniard gathered 22 votes compared to the Norwegian's 49.

Former US Olympic rower Anita DeFrantz and Algeria's Mustapha Larfaoui won six and 15 votes respectively.

''I am feeling humble,'' Heiberg told reporters after his re-election.

DeFrantz, who has long campaigned for more women members on the IOC and the executive board, was surprised by the outcome.

''I am stunned and I will remain stunned for a while,'' said DeFrantz, who in 2001 failed in a bid for the IOC presidency.

The IOC also voted in four new members including Princess Haya of Jordan, who is married to Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai and is the eldest daughter of the late King Hussein.

Princess Haya, who will represent the United Arab Emirates, competed in equestrian at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and is head of the equestrian federation FEI.

The other new members are Patrick Baumann of Switzerland, general secretary of the International Basketball Federation, Colombian Olympic Committee chief and head of the International Water Skiing Federation Andres Botero, and Indonesian Olympic Committee chief Rita Subowo.

The IOC now has 115 members.

REUTERS SBC PM2135

Story first published: Thursday, August 24, 2017, 15:55 [IST]
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