Morocco's El Moutawakel wins senior IOC post
By Karolos Grohmann
BEIJING (Reuters) - Moroccan Olympic gold medalist Nawal El Moutawakel has become the first Muslim woman elected to the IOC's powerful executive board.
El Moutawakel won her seat unopposed on Thursday after Puerto Rican Richard Carrion and Britain's Craig Reedie withdrew from running against her to ensure there was one woman on the IOC executive Board. She had 85 votes in favor and 12 against from 97 valid votes.
"I feel very honored to be a member of this big family," El Moutawakel told the session after her election. "Thank you very much for the trust you are putting in me."
IOC Vice President Gunilla Lindberg's term ended on Wednesday and the board would have had no woman members had El Moutawakel not been elected.
The 15-member board is responsible for setting the Olympic agenda. It meets four times a year and can ban athletes from Games for doping offences.
The IOC said in 1996 it would aim for a 20 percent share of women in its overall membership but is still way off that target with only 16 women out of 110 members.
The U.S-educated El Moutawakel, who won Olympic gold in the 400 meters hurdles in 1984, joined the IOC in 1998, and has been a member of various commissions.
Carrion, who works closely with IOC President Jacques Rogge in broadcast rights negotiations, later defeated Reedie in a run-off, retaining his seat on the board with a 56-39 win.
BEIJING (Reuters) - Moroccan Olympic gold medalist Nawal El Moutawakel has become the first Muslim woman elected to the IOC's powerful executive board.
El Moutawakel won her seat unopposed on Thursday after Puerto Rican Richard Carrion and Britain's Craig Reedie withdrew from running against her to ensure there was one woman on the IOC executive Board. She had 85 votes in favor and 12 against from 97 valid votes.
"I feel very honored to be a member of this big family," El Moutawakel told the session after her election. "Thank you very much for the trust you are putting in me."
IOC Vice President Gunilla Lindberg's term ended on Wednesday and the board would have had no woman members had El Moutawakel not been elected.
The 15-member board is responsible for setting the Olympic agenda. It meets four times a year and can ban athletes from Games for doping offences.
The IOC said in 1996 it would aim for a 20 percent share of women in its overall membership but is still way off that target with only 16 women out of 110 members.
The U.S-educated El Moutawakel, who won Olympic gold in the 400 meters hurdles in 1984, joined the IOC in 1998, and has been a member of various commissions.
Carrion, who works closely with IOC President Jacques Rogge in broadcast rights negotiations, later defeated Reedie in a run-off, retaining his seat on the board with a 56-39 win.
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