MONTREAL (CP) - Normand Legault, who runs the successful Formula One Grand Prix race in Montreal, has been named a key player in the city's organizing committee for the world aquatics championships.

The former board of directors quit, prompting Mayor Gerald Tremblay to name himself and Legault as vice-presidents of the event Monday. Dick Pound, president of the World Anti-Doping Agency, was appointed honorary president. He was already co-president of the committee.

The board said it agreed to step down to give Tremblay the leeway to make the troubled event a success.

FINA, the world governing body for aquatic sports, withdrew the event from Montreal last month because the city's organizing committee was having trouble raising enough money.

Tremblay then travelled to Frankfurt and gave FINA a guarantee to cover all costs for the July 17-31 event.

But the mayor has not been able to announce all the sponsors for the championships, which include swimming, diving, water polo, synchronized swimming and open water swimming.

Tremblay sounded optimistic Monday that the money would be forthcoming.

"We won this bid and that's why I'm confident that when I say this is going to be a balanced budget, I want a balanced budget," he said.

"I don't want the citizens to pay additional taxes and I'm fairly confident the sponsors will be there."

Quebec Premier Jean Charest used a speech to the Montreal Board of Trade on Monday to make a pitch to the business community to support the championships.

Besides the financial woes, the event has also been rocked by the recent suicide of Yvon DesRochers, head of the organizing committee.

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