by Suzanne Beishon

SEBASTIAN COE became the most powerful man in world athletics yesterday and used his new position to stress his commitment to cracking down on drug cheats.

The former Tory MP — now lord — who was ousted in 1997 beat off competition from Ukrainian Sergey Bubka at the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) Congress in Beijing to win the presidency of the sport’s top body.

Frontrunner Coe, who championed the London 2012 Olympics, secured 115 votes from IAAF member federations to Bubka’s 92.

Coe described his victory as the “second biggest and momentous occasion” of his life after the birth of his children, adding: “This for me is the pinnacle, it’s my sport, it’s my passion, it’s the thing I always wanted to do.”

But he faces a rough inauguration when he takes up his new position at the end of the World Championships, as allegations of mass doping throughout athletics and accusations of turning a blind eye that threaten to severely damage the sport’s reputation will demand immediate action.

Wasting no time, the 58-year-old pledged to set up an independent anti-doping agency for the sport.

He said: “There is a zero tolerance to the abuse of doping in my sport and I will maintain that to the very highest level of vigilance.”

Coe revealed that he would be discussing the detail of how his new body would work with his IAAF colleagues in the coming weeks.

The two-time Olympic 1500 metres champion — who has defended the record of the IAAF on doping — admitted that there was a perception that in-house drug testing created “conflicts” and “loopholes.”

He added: “I have espoused the concept of an independent testing process. That isn’t in any way to question the technical or the professional ability of our team in Monaco. They are world class at what they do, they are best in class at what they do and I won’t bend a knee to anybody on that subject in defending their professional integrity.

“We do have to recognise that there is too broad a view that this is something, whether real or perceived, [where] there are conflicts and there are loopholes and I think an independent system is what we need to close down any thought that we are doing anything other than being entirely vigilant about that.”

UK Athletics chairman Ed Warner was confident that the IAAF had appointed the best man to tackle the problem.

He said: “If there’s one person that I know will pursue cheats to all four corners of the earth it is Seb, who’s been passionate about his anti-doping commitment over many years, from a competitor, through all his years as an administrator.”

And World Anti-Doping Agency president Craig Reedie said: “We look forward to a positive and strong relationship with the new president in his avowed plans to protect the rights of the clean athlete.”

Coe has been a vice-president since 2007 and succeeds 82-year-old Lamine Diack from Senegal who has held the presidency since 1999.

During his campaign Coe highlighted a calendar overhaul, more “street meets,” a focus on encouraging young people into the sport and increasing commercial revenue. However the fight against doping is set to take centre stage during his rule.