Suresh Kalmadi at the press conference (© IAAF)
The President of the Asian Athletics Association and IAAF Council Member Mr. Suresh Kalmadi has been re-elected for the second consecutive term announced the Athletics Federation of India (AFI) in a Press Release today.
The Indian federation informed that according to information received from the Asian AA secretariat in Singapore, Mr. Kalmadi's election was confirmed following written support received from 36 of the 44 member national federations.
The election of the new office-bearers to the continental association is actually scheduled to be held in the South Korean town of Incheon on 31 August this year prior to the 16th edition of the Asian Athletics Championships. However, the Asian AA received no other candidature for the President as of yesterday and hence announced that Mr. Kalmadi was re-elected unanimously for another four year term (2005-09).
According to AFI, Mr. Kalmadi's re-election was in recognition of the work he has done in the last term to develop athletics in the continent.
"He was also instrumental in initiating the Asian Grand Prix and taking it to several nations in the region besides India and Sri Lanka," the release said.
On his re-election, Kalmadi said that he has been entrusted with more responsibilities and it will be his endeavour to take Asian athletics to new heights.
"With the world looking towards Asia for better performances, particularly after Athens, it will be the Asian AA's job to keep the focus on Asian athletes as next Olympic is in Asia," he said referring to Beijing 2008.
Ram. Murali Krishnan for the IAAF