Negre is new FIH president

Spaniard Leandro Negre replaced Els van Breda Vriesman as the new President of the International Hockey Federation (FIH), beating her in the elections held during the governing body's Congress in Los Angeles.

Negre, who was the president of the European Hockey Federation, will hold the office for a term of four years.

Negre beat Dutch Vriesman, who had been at the helm since 2001, in the five-day meet that ended on Saturday. The meeting was attended by a total of 89 national associations.

"I am very happy to be elected and I would like to thank the National Associations for voting for me. I would also like to thank Els van Breda Vriesman for the excellent work she did for hockey," Negre said in a statement after his victory.

The FIH also welcomed five new National Associations -- Mongolia, Qatar, Togo, Vanuatu and the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia -- during its Congress to take the number of member countries to 127.