Robert Ebejer stepped down as president of the Aquatic Sports Association yesterday during an extraordinary general meeting that saw Austin Sammut taking over after the other candidate for the post, Remy D'Amato, decided to withdraw from the election.

In a short statement, D'Amato said he had decided to withdraw his candidacy after 'several consultations with persons connected to the sport and the association itself'.

D'Amato will retain his post as general secretary.

Ebejer had been in charge of the association since 1991 after spending 13 years as secretary.

He informed club delegates of his intention not to continue as president last year in an annual general meeting but agreed to act as interim president until a new name was identified to succeed him.

On that occasion, the ASA appointed a commission, chaired by Andrew Paris, to identify competent persons to contest the election for new president.

The commission also had the task to identify new structures for the ASA administration, a report of which was presented to club delegates yesterday.

Sammut was nominated for the ASA presidency by Paris, the Exiles SC delegate. A vote was still required by the delegates but the new president easily surpassed the 50+1 percentage threshold.

During yesterday's EGM, Simon Galea Testaferrata was voted in as the new vice president, filling in the vacancy left by Adrian Camilleri who resigned.