Soderberg elected new president of Euromeetings
Monday 16 October 2006
Stockholm DN-Galan meeting director Rajne Soderberg has been elected as the new President of Euromeetings, an organisation of the one-day athletics meetings in Europe.
He replaces the Exxon Bislett Games meeting director Svein-Arne Hansen who stepped down after eight years in the post. Soderberg is only the third president of an organisation which was established in 1979. The elections were held at the General Assembly of Euromeetings during the traditional autumn European Calendar Conference in Varna, Bulgaria.
“I want Euromeetings to become stronger and more active in promotion and cooperation between members, international federations like the IAAF or EAA as well as Athlete Representative groups. Another objective is to support all steps in the fight against doping. I am sure that all our members will back plans to increase the ban for doping violations to four years,” said Soderberg.
Other concern of the European meeting organisers is a lack of television coverage in general. The assembly also revised the Euromeeting’s constitution which is now clearer concerning goals and activities as well as its membership structure.
Two new members were accepted – Artur Takaè Memorial in Beograd, Serbia and Athletics Bridge double meeting in Slovakia (Banska Bystrica and Dubnica). Currently the organisation consists of 46 meetings from all over Europe, ranging from IAAF Golden League to EAA or national permit meetings and specialist meetings in multi-events or jumping.
Euromeetings’ New Board:
President: Rajne Soderberg, Stockholm
Vice-president: Wilfried Meert, Brussels
General Secretary: Jacky Delapierre, Lausanne
Treasurer: Fedde Zwanenburg, Hengelo
Members: Ian Stewart, London
Jean-Pierre Schoebel, Monte Carlo
Other two members will be elected at the spring meeting of Euromeetings during the European Indoor Championships in March 2007 in Birmingham, UK.
Alfons Juck for IAAF