TOKYO, March 29 (Xinhua) -- Pierre Weiss was named acting general secretary by the International Association of Athletics Federation on Tuesday.

    The Frenchman replaces Istvan Gyulai, who died on March 12.

    Weiss will serve until the next IAAF Congress, which will be in August 2007 prior to the world athletics championships in Osaka, Japan.

    Weiss has been the IAAF's general director since 1991 and was responsible for events and marketing.

    Gyulai, who died of cancer, became a member of the IAAF ruling council in 1984. He was appointed secretary general in 1991, running the day-to-day operations at the IAAF's offices in Monaco.

    "We shall never forget Istvan Gyulai, but the example he set inhis life compels us to strive to identify how, going forward, our sport can be managed even better than ever," IAAF president LamineDiack said at the IAAF's council meeting in Osaka. Enditem