Samaranch voted most influential sports executive

International Olympic Committee's late former President Juan Antonio Samaranch was voted the most influential sports executive of the last 20 years by a leading global sports market website, Sportcal.com.

Samaranch, who died last year, narrowly beat Mark McCormack, founder of sports marketing giants IMG.

Samaranch emerged victorious with 101 points to McCormack's 82 points in the poll.

McCormack was followed in the poll by FIFA President Sepp Blatter. Formula 1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, and Jacques Rogge, Samaranch's successor as IOC president, came in fourth and fifth respectively.

Making up the top 10 were, Rupert Murdoch, chairman of News Corporation, Lennart Johansson, the long-time former president of Uefa, European soccer's governing body.

Manu Sawhney, the managing director of ESPN Star Sports, was the only Indian in the list.