Jean-Michel SAIVE was elected President of the Belgian Olympic Committee with 66% of the votes against her opponent Heidi RAKELS a former bronze medallist in Judo.
Jean-Michel Saive competed at seven consecutive Olympics between 1988 and 2012 and he was also a winner in singles at European Championship 1994.
In 1985 Saive was ranked best player in Belgium a place which he kept until 2011 without interruption. In 1994 he made it to world number one for 515 days (from 9 February 1994 to 8 June 1995 and from 26 March 1996 to 24 April 1996).
It is the first time that table tennis has a President of a National Olympic Committee in Europe.
