The decision was taken following a meeting of senior ANOC officials in Bangkok at the weekend, which had originally been called to discuss how to force Vázquez Raña out.

But it instead had to address who should replace him following the Mexican's decision to step down from most of his roles within the Olympic Movement, including as head of ANOC, a position he had held since 1979.

In his resignation press statement, Vázquez Raña had claimed Sheikh Ahmad had been behind a plot to depose him. 

But at the summit in Bangkok there was universal support for Sheikh Ahmad, the 50-year-old President of the Olympic Council of Asia, to take over from Vázquez Raña on an interim basis until the ANOC General Assembly, which is due take place in Moscow between April 11 and 17. 

It is then to be proposed that Sheikh Ahmad is formally proposed to complete the rest of Vázquez Raña's term, which is due to last until 2014.

Those supporting Sheikh Ahmad include his fellow ANOC vice-presidents - Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committees; Lassana Palenfo, head of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa; and Robin Mitchell, head of the Oceania National Olympic Committees.

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