Tong Yui-shing lost his bid to be a World Sailing vice-president. Photo: SCMP
Source:
https://scmp.com/sport/other-sport/article/3108019/world-sailing-welcomes-first-president-china-after-li-quanhai Other Sport
World Sailing welcomes first president from China after Li Quanhai wins election
- Li beats incumbent Kim Andersen of Denmark by eight votes in second round ballot
- Hong Kong’s Tong Yui-shing loses bid to become a vice-president
The World Sailing website announces new president Li Quanhai of China. Photo: World Sailing
Chinese official Li Quanhai won the World Sailing election to become the first president from the mainland to take charge of the sport.
The result was announced at the world governing body’s general assembly at its headquarters in London on Sunday after the voting was made through electronic ballot a week ago.
Hong Kong Sailing Federation president Tong Yui-shing was among 15 candidates for one of seven vice-president positions but lost his bid.
“Your decision shows the expectation, the hope and the trust for the future of world sailing. I and my team will be owed to accept this responsibility and will jointly study the race and difficulties faced by world sailing and find out the solution,” said 58-year-old Li, through video conferencing after winning the four-year term.
The world body is facing financial challenges and it was reported Li had the support of a mega Chinese property developer and would bring a bankroll of US$10 million in sponsorship money if he won the election.
There were four candidates for the top job, but in the first round no candidate received more than 50 per cent of votes. A second round of voting was required between the top two candidates, incumbent Kim Andersen of Denmark and Li, who won the election with 68 votes from 128 member national authorities. The Dane had 60 votes.
Mainlander Wei Jizhong was a FIVB president. Photo: Xinhua
An official of the Chinese Yachting Association for two decades, Li was its secretary general from 1997-2005 and became the vice-president from 2005-17. He was also the vice-president of World Sailing for the past eight years.
Despite being a sports heavyweight on the world stage, China do not have many officials in charge of world governing bodies.
Lu Shenrong created history by becoming the first women’s president of the International Badminton Federation (now Badminton World Federation) when she began the first of two consecutive four-year terms in 1993 before stepping down in 2001.
Carl Ching from Hong Kong was FIBA president from 2002-06. Photo: SCMP
It also made her the first Chinese president of any international sporting organisation.
In volleyball, former Chinese Olympic Committee secretary general Wei Zizhong was elected FIVB president for one term from 2008-12.
Hong Kong businessman Carl Ching Men-Ky Ching was FIBA president from 2002-06.