* Lapasset defeats Beaumont in Chairman vote
* Beaumont loses second vote for Vice-Chairman
(adds quotes)
Dec 12 (Reuters) – Bernard Lapasset was re-elected on
Monday as chairman of the International Rugby Board (IRB) after
defeating former England captain Bill Beaumont in a vote for the
top job.
The Frenchman secured a second consecutive term in office
after the 26 IRB Council members voted 14-12 in support of him
at a reconvened interim meeting in Los Angeles.
“I am honoured to accept the mandate of the Council to serve
as Chairman of the International Rugby Board for another term,”
Lapasset said in a statement.
“I am committed to building on the good progress to date. We
have fantastic opportunities to grow the game, to reach new
markets and welcome new members to the rugby family.”
Beaumont then suffered a second blow when he lost his
current position as Vice-Chairman to South African Oregan
Hoskins.
The pair received 13 votes each but Hoskins got the nod when
Lapasset, who oversaw the successful campaign to get rugby
sevens included in the Olympics during his first term in office,
used his casting vote to support the South African.
Beaumont was elected along with Lapasset and Hoskins on a
seven member executive board which included, for the first time,
a representative from both United States and Japan.
All of the appointments were for four years, starting on
Jan. 1.
(Reporting by Julian Linden in New York; Editing by Greg
Stutchbury; To query or comment on this story email
sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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