RICCI BITTI PRESIDENT OF SPORTACCORD

LAUSANNE, June 26, 2015 – Francesco Ricci Bitti has been elected president of the SportAccord Convention, the annual gathering of international federations and other representatives of global sport.
The 73-year-old Italian, who is the president of the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF), was chosen at a meeting of the convention’s executive committee in Lausanne. He replaces Marius Vizer, who resigned as president of the convention and of the SportAccord organisation at the end of May.
Gian-Franco Kasper, the president of the Association of International Olympic Winter Sports Federations (AIOWF), was elected by the convention’s general assembly on to its executive committee. He became interim chairman of SportAccord earlier this month.
“The SportAccord Convention has become a major event in the international sporting calendar, not only for the sports movement but also for the industry,” said Mr. Ricci Bitti. “I have always been one of its greatest supporters. When I was asked to consider the position of President, I accepted the honour and I am fully committed to continuing the successful development of the SportAccord Convention.”