Nigeria’s Olumide Oyedeji has been elected Secretary-General of the World Olympians Association, polling 55 of the 106 valid votes cast.A statement in Lagos by Afolabi Oni, his media assistant, said Oyedeji secured 51.89 per cent to defeat Salvador Salguero of El Salvador and Liston Bochette of Puerto Rico.
Oyedeji’s emergence means he becomes the first African to attain that position. He succeeds Anthony Ledgard of Peru.
Oyedeji, President of the Nigeria Olympians Association and Third Vice President of the Nigeria Olympic Committee (NOC), will serve a four-year term on the board.
“He will serve alongside President Pernilla Wiberg of Sweden and Treasurer Wei-Tsu Thomas of Chinese Taipei,” Oni said.
The Chairman of the Nigeria Athletes Commission thanked the outgoing Executive Committee, led by Joel Bouzou, for lasting contributions to Olympians worldwide.
He pledged that integrity would guide decisions, transparency would define actions and inclusive leadership would remain the standard.
Oyedeji said every continent, National Olympians Association and Olympian matters, adding that the board would listen, engage and act collectively.
He said the secretariat would work closely with the International Olympic Committee as a key partner in the Olympic Movement.
“This will be achieved through open dialogue, mutual respect and shared purpose.
“The association will unite the Olympians family, empower associations, amplify voices and translate Olympic values into measurable impact,” he said.
Oni said other board members include Rosa Rakotozafy, Andrew Owusu, Claire Carver-Dias, Willie Banks and Gilian Akiko Guevara.
Others are: Deepak Bista, Stavroula Kozompoli, Igor Boraska, Julia Bell and Carl Probert, representing Asia, Europe and Oceania.
He also co-captained Nigeria’s team that won the country’s first AfroBasket title in 2015.
