The 50-year-old has been head of Italy's delegation at every Olympic Games since taekwondo made its debut at Sydney 2000.

Carlo Molfetta, the first Italian to win an Olympic gold medal in taekwondo when he claimed victory in the over 80 kilograms category at London 2012, was elected as a new athletes' representative on FITA Federal Council. 

A total of 17,522 people voted in the election which marked the 50th anniversary of FITA.

Cito succeeds Park Sun Jae, the pioneer of taekwondo in Italy, having introduced it to the country.

Park had led FITA from 1998 until his death in February.

He also briefly served as acting President of the WTF following the resignation in 2004 of Un Yong Kim.  

Under Park, Cito organised a number of events in Italy, including the European Championships held in Palermo in 2005, Rome in 2008 and Genoa in 2011. 

"It is a great honor for me to be Park Sun Jae's successor and an enormous challenge at the same time, as it is well known that he had an excessive personality and his contribution to taekwondo history was remarkable," said Cito.

"I would like to show my appreciation for Park Sun Jae and the entire Italian taekwondo family for the enormous faith they showed me with 98 per cent of preferences. 

"It is definitely an extraordinary result,which is related with serious responsibilities to be carried on, regarding the work that was planned to be done by Park Sun Jae and me, for the interest of the entire taekwondo movement."

Besides being crowned Olympic champion four years ago, the 32-year-old Molfetta has won three World Championships medals, two silver and a bronze. 

He is one of two athlete representatives on the Federal Council, along with 40-year-old Nolano Claudio, European champion in the under 72kg category at Bonn in 2006. 

Flotti Giuseppe, 52, was elected as the vice-president and Massimiliano Campo the secretary general.