Adille Sumaariwalla becomes first Indian to be elected into the IAAF Council

Adille Sumariwalla was picked into the IAAF Council

In a proud moment for Indian athletics, Olympian and a recipient of the Arjuna Award Adille J Sumariwalla was elected into the IAAF Council at the IAAF Congress in Beijing on Wednesday, The official website of Indian athletics reports.

A total of 39 proposed names were in the fray for 9 seats as an individual member from 214 member federations and Sumariwala was elected as one out of the nine candidates.

Sumariwalla now becomes the first ever Indian to be elected into the governing body of athletics. Thanking the federation on his appointment, the 57-year-old said that his selection was an indication of the position India’s finds itself in world athletics.

“This (election to the IAAF Council) is a sign of the time – that India matters to the world. I thank all the members of the athletics fraternity in India, my colleagues in the Athletics Federation of India for extending their indefatigable support for my campaign, my friends from all the Members-nation who exhibited their trust in me and the newly-elected IAAF President, Lord Sebastian Coe. This will further inspire me to strengthen Indian athletics and take it to greater heights,” Sumariwalla said.

Sumariwalla will feature in the council, that will headed by former 1500m champion Lord Sebastian Coe, who was picked as the new President of the apex body, after beating another former champion Sergey Bubka by a margin of 23 votes.

Coe replaces Lamine Diack of Senegal who was the head of the governing body since 1999.