Chinese athletics will have a very promising future for it has a large repertory of talents in the sports, said Lamine Diack, president of the IAAF, the international athletics ruling body.

Diack, who acted as the IAAF vice president 23 years ago, told Xinhua in his hometown on Thursday that he had a strong emotional tie with China.

Diack, who paid a visit to Beijing in 1978, had a hand in helping the People's Republic of China being accepted as the official member of the IAAF.

"You have a large number of talents, I think the Chinese athletics will have a bright future," said Diack.

IAAF's governing body appointed Lamine Diack of Senegal as its president until 2001 on November 18, 11 days after the death of longtime leader Primo Nebiolo.

He expressed that his main priorities are to increase the revenue of IAAF and continue to crack down upon doping offences in the sports.