President of Qatar Gymnastics Federation (QGF) Ali Al Hitmi with the other members of the FIG Executive Committee.
TOKYO: President of Qatar Gymnastics Federation (QGF) Ali Al Hitmi has easily retained his post as one of the seven members of the FIG Executive Committee, details showed yesterday.
Al Hitmi is now set to begin his second term as an Executive Committee member after election results were announced by FIG, the world governing body, here yesterday.
A total of 17 members contested the elections for seven seats. Al Hitmi received 60 votes in the second round to retain his place on the highly influential FIG Executive Committee. “It is a huge honour for me. Yes, I am very pleased that a large number of members showed confidence in me and voted for my success,” Al Hitmi said in a statement released by QGF.
“I take this opportunity to thank the Emir H H Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, the President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC). I also thank Dr Thani Al Kuwari, the Secretary General of QOC, for the support I was extended to promote the sport of gymnastics in Qatar and the region,” Al Hitmi said in his statement.
“I will continue to work hard so that we may win greater laurels for Qatar in sports. I am willing to work tirelessly to promote gymnastics around the world,” he said.
Two years ago, Doha was awarded the rights to host 48th Artistic Gymnastics World Championships.
Earlier, Japan’s Morinari Watanabe beat French rival Georges Guelzec to become the new head of world gymnastics. Watanabe, a former gymnast, succeeds Italy’s Bruno Grandi as president of the International Gymnastics Federation (FIG), said a spokesman for the Japan Gymnastics Association.
