Ihor Hotsul has been re-elected as President of the Ukrainian Athletics Federation (FLAU) for the next four years, bringing praise and tributes from across the sport.
Hotsul, 51, has held the post since 2012, and was congratulated by European Athletics President Svein Arne Hansen.
Congratulations to my good friend Ihor Hotsul who was re-elected as President of the Ukraine Athletics Federation today. #GoodMan pic.twitter.com/1Rp2E3KBsP
— Svein Arne Hansen (@SvenPres) October 8, 2016
Dobromir Karamarinov, the first vice president of European Athletics and the President of Bulgarian Athletics, wrote: 'Very happy to hear that Ihor Hotsul was re-elected as President of the Ukraine Federation today. Congratulations & Good luck!'
One of the great moments for Ukrainian sport this summer came at the European Athletics Championships in Amsterdam where Nataliya Pryshchepa won gold in the 800m in 1:59.70.
Ukraine’s pole vault legend and their NOC President Sergey Bubka said: “I congratulate (him) on his reelection as president. I believe that much of the work of the great sport will effectively continue in the future. The National Olympic Committee of Ukraine considers cooperation with national federations as a priority direction of its activity.”
Hotsul said: “I thank you all for your support during my time in the last four years as President of the Athletics Federation of Ukraine...I promise to continue to serve to the best of my abilities.”
Volodymyr Rydiuk, Fidel Tymchenko and Ivan Heshko were elected Vice-Presidents following an election conference held on 8 October in Zaporizhia.
During the conference, 14 FLAU Council members were elected as well: Ievhen Bazhenkov, Olena Bekh, Anatolii Buhaiov, Oleksii Danylenko, Valerii Iednak, Anatolii Kolomoiets, Mykola Mandrona, Vitalii Mateshko, Iryna Olkhovnikova, Oleksandr Okhrimenko, Ievhen Pronin, Oleksii Serdiuchenko, Tetiana Serorez and Valentyn Shevchuk.
Congrats on your re-election @hotsul I wish you all the best for the next 4 years! @EuroAthletics @iaaforg @Ukraine
— Márton Gyulai (@martongyulai) October 8, 2016