The 81-year-old will assume the position immediately after he ceases to be President following elections for his replacement tomorrow.

It followed a proposal from Paraguay for such a role to be introduced.

"I would like to express my very deep thank you for the support of being appointed Honorary President," Maglione said after the decision was approved by acclamation on the first day of the PASO General Assembly.

"I think that many of you deserve this distinction because this organisation has had the virtue of honouring individuals who have worked for many many years."

He will have the right to attend all PASO meetings but will not have voting power.

The proposal was not approved unanimously, however, with St Lucia Olympic Committee secretary general Alfred Emmanuel interjecting from the floor to suggest that a President should serve two full terms before deserving such a role.

He made clear that he was speaking in a general sense, however, rather than specifically attacking Maglione.

Maglione, President of the International Swimming Federation, has served just two years since replacing the late Mario Vázquez Raña in 2015.

But delegates from Dominican Republic, Guyana, Argentina and Brazil leapt to his defence in supporting the measure.

"These two years have been worth 40," said Dominican Republic Olympic Committee President Luis Mejía Oviedo.

Chile's Neven Ilic, Brazil's Carlos Nuzman and Dominican Republic's José Joaquín Puello are all standing to replace Maglione as PASO President at an election scheduled for here tomorrow.