Kalmadi seeks IAAF top post

Suresh Kalmadi, head of the Indian Olympic Association and president of the Asian Amateur Athletic Association (AAAA) and the Amateur Athletic Federation of India (AAFI), has filed nomination papers for election to the post of president of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF).

The post fell vacant owing to the death of Primo Nebiolo in November 1999. Since that date, the IAAF has been functioning without an elected president, with Lamine Diack of Senegal serving as acting president.

The next general meeting of the IAAF is scheduled to be held in Edmonton, Canada, on August 1 and 2, immediately preceeding the World Championships.

Interestingly, Kalmadi has also filed papers for election to the post of vice president, and also sought nomination as a Council member.

The papers were filed just ahead of the April 30 deadline.

In the running are acting president Diack, and Eisa Abdullah Al-Dashti of Kuwait. A third nomination, that of Amanda Francis of Puerto Rico, was subsequently withdrawn.