ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia -- Distance running great Haile Gebrselassie was elected president of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation on Saturday after saying the sport in his country had been stained by doping allegations and he wanted to clear that up.The two-time Olympic champion in the 10,000 meters received nine of the 15 votes in a ballot of Ethiopias regional athletics leaders. He beat two other candidates, with incumbent EAF president Alebachew Nigusse not standing for re-election.The 43-year-old Gebrselassie was elected for a four-year term.Gebrselassie is probably Ethiopias greatest ever runner, winning two Olympic and four world titles in a career that spanned over 20 years and also included a series of major marathon victories and world records in distances from 5,000 meters up to the marathon.I feel so honoured to be elected president of the Ethiopian Athletics Federation! Will work on a great future for Ethiopian athletics! Gebrselassie wrote on his official Twitter account.In an interview with The Associated Press ahead of the election, Gebrselassie said Ethiopian athletics was not on the right track.The country was underperforming in comparison to East African neighbor and distance running rival Kenya, Gebrselassie said, but also had its reputation undermined by a string of doping cases.Six Ethiopian athletes were suspended on suspicion of doping this year -- two of them have now been banned -- and the World Anti-Doping Agency warned the countrys authorities that they needed to strengthen their anti-doping programs.Our countrys name has been mentioned alongside other countries for doping, Gebrselassie told AP. One of my first jobs if I get elected is to make sure that athletes could win without doping by showing them that Im a living prf.Instead of challenging WADA and other anti-doping agencies, we have to be able to admit that we have a problem and then work hard to address it. I believe that Ethiopias doping problem is not deep. But certainly there are signs.Ethiopia has had to live in Kenyas shadow in recent years in terms of success on the track, a trend that continued at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro where Ethiopia won one gold medal in track and field compared top Kenyas six. Changing that was a priority, Gebrselassie said.The state of athletics in Ethiopia is not on the right track so I dont want to sit idle and watch it turn into ruins, Gebrselassie said. Ethiopias athletics potential is probably four times bigger than our neighbor Kenya. Our main problem is that we havent had a leadership that could bring out and nurture that talent. Miralem Pjanic Juventus Jersey . -- Matt Rupert scored once in regulation and again in the shtout as the London Knights extended their win streak to nine games by defeating the Owen Sound Attack 4-3 on Friday in Ontario Hockey League action. Sami Khedira Jersey . Zvonareva, who won the tournament in 2009 and 10, couldnt handle her opponents big groundstrokes in only her third event back after 17 months out with a shoulder injury. Zvonareva made her comeback in January in Shenzhen and played in the Australian Open but lost her first matches at both tournaments. http://www.juventusfcpro.com/Kids-Gianluigi-Buffon-Jersey/ . The team also announced Tuesday that the Braves will wear a commemorative patch on the right sleeve during the season. The patch, shaped like home plate, carries the number 715, Aarons autograph and a "40th Anniversary" banner. Paulo Dybala Juventus Jersey . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. Alex Sandro Juventus Jersey .S. -- Nikolaj Ehlers registered a hat trick for the third straight game and Jonathan Drouin had a goal and five assists as the Halifax Mseheads hammered the host Cape Breton Screaming Eagles 10-1 on Tuesday in Quebec Major Junior Hockey League action.Rafael Benitez must be allowed to be the decision-maker at Newcastle if they are to survive in the Premier League, according to the Sunday Supplement panel. The former Liverpl and Real Madrid boss was finally announced as Steve McClarens replacement in the St James Park hotseat on Friday, and is tasked with steering the Magpies clear of the relegation zone.Much of the criticism that has been levelled at Newcastle in recent years is the amount of boardrm interference from managing director Lee Charnley and owner Mike Ashley, and the Daily Stars chief sports writer Jeremy Cross believes attitudes have to change. Rafael Benitez has to make decisions, says Cross What Charnley has to do if he is going to be successful is to let Benitez manage his way, Cross saidI am sure Benitez has sat down and demanded certain things, but demands and what you get at Newcastle are totally different things.Let him get on with it, and not interfere. Keith Downie gets reaction from fans as Benitez takes over at Newcastle Despite an obvious liking for the Premier League, Benitezs decision to get involved in a relegation battle came as something of a surprise, and the Mail on Sundays chief ftball writer Rob Draper believes the Magpies have got a manager of real quality.ddddddddddddBenitez is the best calibre of manager since they had (Sir Bobby) Robson, youd say, Draper said. Alan Pardew did a very gd job there, but he didnt have the record coming into the job Rafa has.They are in such a desperate situation, Benitez has been able to get what he wants. He can say that he wants money to spend if they stay up, that he wants to be the manager, he wants to have a big say in transfers. They could have got him when Pardew left, and Benitez was at Napoli, but they werent in the position to offer him these things.Now, they are desperate to stay in the Premier League, and they have given him those things.Benitezs relationship with Mike Ashley is the fascinating one. This will decide if this is long term or something that ends quickly. Also See: Benitez thinking long-term Rafa calls for unity Five challenges Rafas ups and downs ' ' '