Dayrit elected OCA vice president

KUWAIT – Philippine Olympic Committee president Celso Dayrit gained a major sports achievement here Saturday when he was elected vice president of the Olympic Council of Asia.

This is the highest position a Filipino sports leader has ever attained in the continental association of National Olympic Committees which was founded 52 years ago in New Delhi, India.

Dayrit has become only the third Filipino to hold the third highest post in the world Olympic Movement, the top two being the late Don Jorge Vargas and Francisco Elizalde, who have both been named members of the International Olympic Committee.

It will be recalled that Dayrit was recently elected first chairman of the newly constituted SEA Games Federation Executive Committee, which is the SEAGF’s governing body.

Dayrit also holds the distinction of being the only certified Filipino international director of the Olympic Solidarity Itinerant Administration School for Sports Leaders, the longest serving executive board member of the Asian Fencing Confederation and an honorary life president of the Southeast Asian Fencing Federation.

"It is an honor to be elected (OCA vice president)," said Dayrit. "But more importantly, it is an honor to serve on behalf of our country, which has strongly supported the Olympic Movement."

Recognized by the international sports community as a sports management expert, Dayrit has conducted courses for (sports) leaders all over Asia under the IOC program.