It was part of a sweeping series of changes agreed by the nine member states - Andorra, Cyprus, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Malta, Monaco, Montenegro and San Marino - who all have populations of less than a million and were meeting here on the eve of the 42nd General Assembly of the European Olympic Committees.

Blondal replaces countryman Ólafur Rafnsson, who died suddenly in June at the age of 50, and will serve until 2015.

Blondal had also replaced Rafnsson as head of the National Olympic Association of Iceland.

The biennial event is next due to be held in Icelandic capital Reykjavík in 2015.

Luxembourg hosted a successful Games of the Small States of Europe earlier this year @Luxembourg 2013

Another major change was to the Statues to create only one governing body that will meet every year.

The next meeting was set for next May when a future vision for the Games is due to be mapped out. 

This year's event was held in Luxembourg, attracting 762 athletes competing in 120 events in 10 sports.

The host nation were the most successful team with a total of 106 medals, including 36 gold.

But every country that competed won at least one gold medal. 

The 2017 event is due to be held in San Marino, the third time that they will have held it, while 2019 was awarded to Liechtenstein.

It will be the third occasion that the tiny land-locked country sandwiched by Switzerland and Austria will have hosted the Games having previously held them in 1999 and 2011. 

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