Kägi takes over leadership of Swiss Olympic Association
Walter Kägi has been elected the Swiss Olympic Association's new president by the sports parliament in Berne. The body also named the outgoing sports minister, Adolf Ogi, the SOA's honourary president.
Sixty five year old Kägi garnered 351 votes, against a mere 73 that were cast in favour of his challenger, Paul Engemann.
Kägi takes over from René Burkhalter at the helm of the organisation on January 1 2001.
A native of St Gallen, Kägi previously held the top job at the Swiss rowing federation, and is a former senator. The vice president will be René Vaudroz of canton Vaud.
Ogi, who holds the rotating presidency of the confederation – as well as the posts of sports and defence minister – had been mooted as the ideal candidate to head the Swiss Olympic Association. He declined to stand for the position and was awarded the honourary title instead.
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