Italy's Claudio Melchiorri has been chosen to the new President of the UIAA Mountaineering Commission ©UIAA

Italy's Claudio Melchiorri has been chosen to become the new President of the International Climbing and Mountaineering Federation (UIAA) Mountaineering Commission.

He was picked to replace Belgium's Pierre Humblet from next year at a meeting of the UIAA Mountaineering Commission in Prague.

The decision must be endorsed by the UIAA Management Committee at its next meeting in Baku, due to take place between May 14 and 16. 

The UIAA Mountaineering Commission chose Italy's Claudio Melchiorri to be its new President from 2017 at a meeting in Prague, replacing Belgium's Pierre Humblet ©UIAA
The UIAA Mountaineering Commission chose Italy's Claudio Melchiorri to be its new President from 2017 at a meeting in Prague, replacing Belgium's Pierre Humblet ©UIAA

Humblet had held the role for eight years and will continue working with the UIAA as a legal advisor. 

The 57-year-old Melchiorri is a professor of robotic engineering at University of Bologna.  

He has been heavily involved in the work of the Mountaineering Commission and spent several years teaching climbing and has a very active interest in the safety and testing of climbing equipment.