Germany celebrates Bach's election as IOC President

Thomas Bach of Germany reacts to applause after he was elected the ninth president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) succeeding Jacques Rogge during a vote in Buenos Aires, Sept 10, 2013. [Photo/Agencies]

BERLIN - German officials congratulated Thomas Bach as he was elected as the new president of International Olympic Commitee (IOC) on Tuesday.

The 59-year-old lawyer and President of German Olympic Committee is the first German at the head of the IOC, as Willie Daume failed in 1980 with his candidateship.

On her official homepage, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said: "I congratulate you for the election to the President of the IOC. Your election into the most important office of the sport shows what reputation and confidence you enjoy in the Olympic family. I am glad that Germany is represented excellently on the international level."

The Presidium of the German Olympic Sports Confederation (DOSB) stated in an official press release: "The Presidium of the DOSB congratulates Thomas Bach to the election as the ninth IOC President. The members of the IOC have thus honored his long-term commitment. This clear vote for him also strengthens the German sport."

"I'm very delighted to see this clear vote in favor of Thomas Bach. It is a tribute for his work and an appreciation of the German sport," President of the German Soccer Association (DFB) Wolfgang Niersbach said.

"We kept our fingers crossed for Thomas Bach. I'm glad that he has been elected," Germany coach Joachim Loew added.

Bach is a former fencer, who won the foil event at the Summer Olympics 1976 in Montreal. He crowned himself one year later as a world champion in Buenos Aires, the place where he was elected as the successor of Jaques Rogge to be IOC's ninth president.

IOC Presidents are elected for a term of eight years with the option to remain in office for another four years following a re-election.

The new president faces numerous difficulties yet doping seems as one of the current and repeatedly emerging problems.