elected Sapporo Olympic gold medalist Yukio Kasaya to its board of directors Saturday, while returning Yoshiaki Tsutsumi to a ninth term as president.
Kasaya, who led a podium sweep in the 70-meter hill event at the 1972 Winter Games, was also named the new head of the ski jumping division as the SAJ seeks to improve on its disappointing performance at the Salt Lake City Winter Games in February.
"The issue is not limited to Japan, but we need some new blood (on the national team). I hope to receive the cooperation of all quarters, so we can get the national team back on its feet," Kasaya said after the SAJ meeting. Tsutsumi, meanwhile, will continue on as SAJ president in the post his first assumed in 1986.