Paris, 3rd September – Jean-Christophe Rolland has just been elected president of the International Federation of Rowing Associations at its 2013 Ordinary Congress, gathered in Chungju (South Korea), and will be taking over from Denis Oswald, an IOC member and FISA president since 1989, as of July 2014, announces the NOC of France.
Twice world champion, in 1993 and 1997, and Olympic champion at Sydney 2000 together with Michel Andrieux, Jean-Christophe Rolland has been a member of the FISA Executive Committee since 2002, following membership of the Athletes’ Commission since 1994.
“This election is an important step ahead in the aftermath to the 2004 Olympic Games,” continues the CNOSF website, “and illustrates the need for a long-term strategy for French presence in international sports forums, which is now one of the missions of the French committee with regard to international sport.”
Jean-Christophe Rolland won at the first ballot with 117 votes out of 179, beating Australian John Boultbee and Canadian Trica Smith. Aged 45, a nuclear engineer from Lyon, he held no special post within FISA but has the full support of outgoing president Denis Oswald, who has entered the competition to succeed Jacques Rogge at the head of the IOC.