The Hungarian secured enough votes from the delegates, who represented 138 countries, to beat Italian European Weightlifting Federation President Antonio Urso.

Aján, a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) council member, will now add a further four years to his 12-year service to date, while Ma Wenguang of China was also re-elected as IWF secretary general.

"I thank for the support of those who voted for me and I extend my hand to those who didn't," said Aján, a member of the International Olympic Committee.

"We have to be united and we have to work hard for the future of weightlifting."


Romanian Olympic champion Nicu Vlad was elected as the IWF's first vice-president, with Thailand's Intarat Yodbangtoey, Australian Sam Coffa, Russian Alexander Gerasimenko, Peru's Jose Quinones and Dato Ong Poh Eng of Malaysia voted in as the body's vice-presidents.

The election also marked a historical move for the sport as Canadian Moira Lassen became the first women Executive member.

The other Executive Board members were confirmed as Greek Olympic champion Pyrros Dimas, Indian Weightlifting Federation President Birendra Prasad Baishya, Iraq's Mohammed Jalood, Britain's Michael Irani, Brazilian David Montero, Christian Baumgartner of Germany and Tunisia's Masmoudi Fathi.

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