Lamine Diack elected as IOC member
11 December 1999 - Following a minute's silence in memory of deceased IAAF President and IOC member Dr Primo Nebiolo, the President of the International Olympic Committee, Juan Antonio Samaranch proposed that Nebiolo's successor, acting President of the IAAF, Lamine Diack be admitted as a member of the IOC.
Diack, of Senegal, was appointed as interim president of the world athletics body after the death last month of Italy's Primo Nebiolo, who headed the IAAF for 18 years. Nebiolo was also an influential figure on the IOC since 1992. Diack has been confirmed as president of the IAAF until its next congress in 2001.
``It is of the highest importance that the new president of this association be one of us,'' IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch said as he proposed Diack's membership to the opening session of the IOC assembly. The IOC delegates approved Diack's membership by acclamation. His appointment brings the total IOC membership to 103.
In addition to his current role of President of the IAAF, 66 years-old Lamine Diack has for many years played a prominent role in the field of African sport. He is the President of the African Athletics Confederation and also heads the Senegalese National Olympic Committee.
Informed of the IOC decision, Diack expressed his pleasure at his election: "This is truly a great honour for myself and the world athletics movement. It is a sign of recognition of the prestigious role played by our sport, much of which is the fruit of the labours of Primo Nebiolo, and of the important contribution that we continue to make to the the Olympic movement."