The announcement follows the recent ANOC Executive Committee meeting held during the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session in Durban in South Africa where, ANOC President Mario Vázquez Raña underscored the importance of the Second World Olympic Convention and the role of the ANOC Special Commission in its successful organisation and delivery.

It is part of a wider plan from the ANOC Special Commission to develop the relationship between with the 204 National Olympic Committees and their Governments.

Moynihan, who is also the chairman of the British Olympic Association (BOA), claimed the Second World Olympic Convention will be vital in accessing the relationship, which is of growing concern for National Olympic Committees around the world.

"The job of the Commission is to ensure that every National Olympic Committee has a strong relationship with their Government but the fact of the matter is that there are 204 different relationships out there," Moynihan told insidethegames from Trabzon in Turkey where he is attending the European Youth Olympic Festival.

"The key thing is to go out there and exchange best practices, lines of thinking and communication strategies and the Second World Olympic Convention in Moscow will be crucial in doing that.

"National Olympic Committees must remain autonomous from Governments in their work which can be difficult at times but our vision is for every National Olympic Committee to have a strategically collaborative working relationship with its Government whilst retaining their autonomy.

"I am confident the 2012 Olympic Sport Convention in Moscow will take forward this agenda.

"It will be a very busy nine months delivering the Second World Olympic Convention in Moscow - particularly with London 2012 just over a year away and my work with that as BOA chairman - but the Commission includes representatives from all five Continents and therefore in a great position to spread its message around the world."

Prior to being elected as chairman of the BOA in 2005, Moynihan spent 10 years serving in Government, including as Minister for Sport under Margaret Thatcher between 1987 and 1990. 

"Certainly my background in Government gives me an advantage on the topic and I delivered a series of presentations on it during the inaugural World Olympic Sport Convention in Acapulco last year," he said.

"I am absolutely honoured at being given this important task which will allow me to continue working closely with my colleagues within ANOC, the IOC and Governments to preserve and strengthen the autonomy of National Olympic Committees."

The high-profile role will help Moynihan's rehabilitationwithin the Olympic Movement after his spectacular fall from favour earlier this year after he tried to take London 2012 to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) in a row over the distribution of money from next year's Olympics and Paralympics.

The row has almost certainly wrecked Moynihan's hopes of becoming a member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Compounding Moynihan's challenge within the Olympic community was that the BOA were origianlly scheduled to host the ANOC meeting but had to withdraw because it could not afford to stage it due to its financial problems. 

Moscow then stepped in as a subsitute and the meeting will now be held in the Russian capital between April 13 and 15 next year.

Hugh Robertson, Britain's Minister for the Olympics and Sport, claimed he delighted to see Moynihan back in such a leading international role.

"To develop communication channels and frameworks to ensure that National Olympic Committees and Governments are able to work together, through sport and recreation, with the goal of achieving healthy and physically active societies is a key objective of the World Olympic Sport Convention in Moscow next year," said Robertson, who did not attend the first World Olympic Convention in Acapulco last October because it clashed with the publication of the Government's Comprehensive Spending Review in London. 

"Colin's role as President of this Commission reflects the growing influence of Britain in international sport.

"This is great news for him and the much strengthened British Olympic Association which he chairs."

Patrick Hickey, President of the European Olympic Committees, added: "Congratulations to Colin.

"This is great for the BOA and great for Europe.

"I am sure Moscow will be a tremendous success."

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