ATHENS, Aug 11: Sweden's Gunilla Lindberg became the most powerful woman in sport on Wednesday when she was voted International Olympic Committee vice-president.

The 57-year-old Swede - the only candidate for the post - was voted in by 95 votes to eight. The vacancy had been created by Germany's Thomas Bach who stepped down at the end of his four-year term.

Lindberg becomes one of four vice-presidents below IOC chief Jacques Rogge, joining Russia's Vitaly Smirnov, Korea's Kim un-Yong, currently suspended following his jailing in Korea for corruption, and James Easton of the United States.

"Taking on the role of vice-president is a big responsibility," the Swede told her fellow members. I will work for the unity of the Olympic movement and Olympism that today is more important than ever."

Married with two children, Lindberg becomes only the second female vice-president after America's Anita DeFrantz. She has enjoyed a long career in sports administration.

She was made head of office of the Swedish Olympic Committee in 1969 before becoming assistant secretary-general in 1984 and secretary-general five years later. Made an IOC member in 1996, Lindberg joined the executive board in 2000 and has served on a number of commissions.

Lindberg and Italy's Franco Carraro stepped down from the executive board, the organisation's decision-making body, creating two vacancies. These were filled by China's Yu Zaiqing and Puerto Rica's Richard Carrion.

In a rubber-stamping exercise, Ukraine's Sergei Bubka was re-elected to the executive board, as was Mario Vasquez Rana of Mexico, Switzerland's Denis Oswald and Italian Ottavio Cinquanta. All four were re-elected as they represent organisations at the IOC, namely the Athletes, the NOC, Summer and Winter International Federations. -Reuters