France’s Essar Gabriel is set to take over from compatriot Pierre Weiss as the next secretary general of world athletics governing body the IAAF.

Senegalese Lamine Diack, IAAF president since 1999 and the only candidate when he bids for re-election during the 48th IAAF Congress tomorrow, unveiled Gabriel as he choice in Daegu yesterday.

The 43-year-old Frenchman was director general of the organising committee for the 2003 World Championships in Paris and recently held the post of Director of the Youth Olympic Games for the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The post of secretary general is at the discretion of the IAAF presi-dent who submits his choice to the Council.

Weiss, 64, announced his decision to step down several months ago after taking over the post in 2006 following the death of Hungary’s Istvan Gyulai.

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