Rabarisoa is a former vice-president of the organisation and served as interim President following the death of Harvel Marcelin in 2009.

In 2010, fresh elections saw Jonah Rabelahy become President of the Federation.

But those elections were seen to contravene International Boxing Association (AIBA) rules, leading to the country being suspended by the sport's world governing body.

Following these latest elections, AIBA President C K Wu has welcomed the appointment of Rabarisoa as work now begins on welcoming Madagascar back into the international fold.

"I am confident that those elections took place in full compliance with your federation's new statutes and according to the AIBA statutes and bylaws as well as to the Olympic Charter and that all officers were duly and respectfully elected," Wu wrote in a letter to Rabarisoa.

"I am excited about this excellent news and am optimistic about the future of boxing in Madagascar."

Jean de Dieu Soloniaina (right) of Madagascar competed at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games ©AFP/Getty Images



Rabarisoa, 49, received eight out of a possible 11 votes in the elections at Mahamasina Palais des Sports and Culture in Antananarivo.

Ted Von Them and Constantin Hadjimanuel have been elected as first and second vice-presidents respectively, while Ferdinand Ravohitra was picked as the organisation's general secretary.

There were no candidates for the positions of treasurer, assistant treasurer and auditor.

These positions will be filled by another round of elections in due course, according to Rabarisoa, who has promised to meet with officials from the African Boxing Confederation and AIBA shortly to move boxing forward in the country.

"If I had to summarise my slogan, it would be to raise the profile of the discipline and produce medals in international competitions and especially the Olympics," he said.

"The Federation will try to participate in training for referees and especially [at] international [level].

"It's very important.

"I'm also planning a project called Boxing In School, to detect young talents in schools [across the country].

"For athletes, the best will be sent out to find new horizons.

"Another common problem is the lack of material.

"To remedy this, the league will feature rings as far as possible."

Malagasy boxers last competed at an Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, but the country has never won a medal at the Games.

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