Hinder, who has worked in the WDSF Presidium for more than 20 years, claimed he was taking the step "to bring all parties closer together in how they interpret dance as sport".

The Swiss had been WDSF President since January 2016 after taking over from Spaniard Carlos Freitag, who resigned due to health reasons.

The General Meeting of the WDSF at the Olympic Musuem in Lausanne unanimously agreed to the motion presented by the Presidium to make Hinder Honorary Life President after the official handover of the WDSF Presidency to Tay, scheduled for November 17 during the WDSF World Championship Standard in Vienna.

In the meantime, the official from Singapore has been appointed as chief executive, with instructions to "report to the full Presidium, not the President or the Managing Committee".

Tay immediately made a commitment to stand for election at the 2019 WDSF Annual General Meeting to ask WDSF's members to confirm his mandate to 2021.

The WDSF took up its present name in 2011 to help competitive ballroom dancing earn a place on the Olympic programme.

The dance sport discipline of break dancing will have a place on the programme at this year's Summer Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires.

Reading out a statement to the delegates and observers at the General Meeting, Hinder thanked his colleagues on the Presidium for reaffirming their commitment to the first participation of DanceSport in the Youth Olympic Games.

He also acknowledged the continued support of the Presidium allowing him to hold elected office on the Executive Committee of the International World Games Association.

"I decided to take this step to bring all parties closer together in how they interpret dance as sport," Hinder said. 

"During the weekend, I had cordial meetings with my Presidium colleagues who understood and accepted my decision.

"This also included a very satisfactory reconciliation and agreement with our first vice-president, Shawn Tay.

"Thank you to the many people in our community who expressed their appreciation for my work with the WDSF Presidium over more than 20 years.

"I am thankful that I was allowed to serve WDSF as President during an important time and I am committed to ensure a smooth transition period, which will also include the administrative level as decided by the Presidium.

"I am very pleased to advise that the Presidium has reconfirmed that WDSF’s participation in the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games is supported unreservedly and that the WDSF Presidium will approve of my future candidacy for any office in the International World Games Association.

"I am fully supporting the transition process that has been established between all of us.

"As per the wish of our next President, Shawn Tay, I will assist the Presidium and in particular my successor in their relation with other organisations in international sports as best as I can and as long as I can."

The Presidium has also agreed unanimously that the existing employment contracts with the staff currently working at the WDSF office in Lausanne will be honoured.