TEHRAN – Olympics gold medal winner Alireza Dabir was named as new president of Iran Wrestling Federation for the next four years.

In the elections held in Iran’s Olympic Academy, located in Tehran, Dabir polled 18 votes while Abdolmehdi Nasirzadeh garnered 12 which were however insufficient for a two-thirds majority required for a winner to be declared.

Facing a runoff, Dabir won the election with 31 votes, while Nasirzadeh received 12 votes out of 43 votes.

Dabir, 42, claimed a gold medal at the 1998 World Wrestling Championships and also made history by winning a gold at Sydney 2000.

The Iranian wrestling federation was managed by acting president after Rasoul Khadem stepped down from his post nine months ago.