Ireland's Mr Pat Hickey has lost out in his attempt to win a seat on the executive board of the International Olympic Committee.
The former judo international finished third behind winner Gerhard Heiberg of Norway and Brazil's Carlos Nuzman in the vote by IOC members in Prague this morning, but it was the narrowest of defeats.
Meanwhile, Dr Kim Un-Young, the Korean who was issued with a severe warning following the investigation into the Salt Lake City corruption scandal, won the election to be vice-president of the IOC.
A victory for Hickey would have been good news for London's bid for the 2012 Olympics but he was undone by some tactical voting.
Under IOC election rules, a series of votes take place with the lowest-scoring candidate being eliminated. Having tied with Nuzman with only three candidates left, Hickey lost a vote-off - had he won he might have beaten Heiberg in a one-on-one contest.
Hickey was gracious in defeat, saying: "I would like to congratulate all the winning candidates and I would like to thank everyone here for the courtesy that has been extended to me over the last few days."
Kim's victory underlines just how keen the IOC members are to draw a veil over past misdemeanours, even though the Korean's son is currently in prison in Bulgaria awaiting extradition to the USA to answer FBI allegations that he accepted illegal favours from people involved in the Salt Lake City bid.
PA