Billionaire Usmanov elected to lead fencing body

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) -- Russian billionaire Alisher Usmanov has been elected the new president of fencing's governing body.

Usmanov, who has a stake in English football club Arsenal, unseated incumbent Rene Roch to become president of the International Fencing Federation (FIE) at its annual congress in Paris over the weekend.

The Switzerland-based FIE said Monday that a vote of national federations went 66-61 against Roch, a Frenchman who had been in office for 16 years. He beat Usmanov by 48 votes when they stood against each other four years ago.

After that defeat, the Russian businessman -- a former fencer who competed in the saber class in his native Uzbekistan -- was elected to lead the European governing body and began investing his own money to promote the Olympic sport and increase prize money.

The 55-year-old Usmanov is the major shareholder of iron and steel maker Metalloinvest with other investments including media and mining interests.

A list of Britain's richest residents last April valued his assets at 5.7 billion pounds (then $11.4 billion), ranking him fifth wealthiest in the country.

His wife Irina Viner, who is also from Uzbekistan, is Russia's leading coach in rhythmic gymnastics. Her students, Alina Kabaeva and Evgeniya Kanaeva, won individual all-around gold medals at the last two Olympics.

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