Beleaguered International Olympic Committee (IOC) president Juan Antonio Samaranch firmly secured his position as head of the movement when he won a sweeping vote of confidence from IOC members in Lausanne yesterday.

The 78-year-old had asked for a show of support in his leadership before the start the most dramatic meeting ever held by the IOC - one that saw the expulsion of six members embroiled in the Salt Lake City scandal - amid rumours of top officials plotting to oust him.

Samaranch, who has ruled the Olympic movement for 18 years, decided to crush any opposition by putting his support within the movement to the test with a secret vote.

It was a gamble that paid off with stunning success.

With 90 members voting, 88 backed the former Spanish diplomat. Only two voiced opposition. There was one abstention and one blank voting slip.

Samaranch left the hall while the vote was being taken and returned to a standing ovation.

Belgian executive board member Jacques Rogge, tipped as a possible successor to Samaranch, said afterwards that the results of the ballot "showed the true strength of the president's support from the members."

Samaranch has repeatedly refused to stand down following the corruption scandal that has severely tarnished the once-golden image of the Olympics. Yesterday's vote will now allow him to stay on until his retirement in 2001.

With doubts over the future of the leadership put to rest, the meeting began the job of trying the six members accused of involvement in the Salt Lake City corruption scandal.

Before the meeting which expelled the Salt Lake six, Samaranch made it clear that he wanted the members to show no mercy.

"We must root out all forms of inappropriate or unethical behaviour among our membership and expel those members (as) recommended by the executive board," he said.