Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani Elected OCA President

The 46th Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly has elected H.E Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar OCA president, becoming the 22nd president to serve the Olympic movement in Asia since the first multisport Games were held in 1913.

The election, which was held at the OCA General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, was attended by the 45 Asian National Olympic Committees (NOCs) and the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan H.E Shavkat Mirziyoyev.

Sheikh Joaan replaces former OCA President Randhir Singh, who has stepped down from the position due to health reasons. The new president, who also serves as ANOC senior vice president and Qatar Olympic Committee president, secured 44 votes in the election.

Part of Qatar’s ruling family, Sheikh Joaan is the brother of the Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, who has served as a member of the International Olympic Committee for over two decades.

In his opening speech, the Sheikh outlined his vision – “Together for Asia” – to the NOCs, in which he committed to:

• Strengthen solidarity and development throughout Asia
• Support athletic excellence
• Promote good governance
• Embrace innovation responsibly
• Ensure OCA events and programmes are sustainable, inclusive, and credible
• Grow international representation to promote Asia’s interests
• Position sport as a universal language of peace, mutual respect, and cultural understanding

“Asia is the largest and most diverse continent within the Olympic family,” said Sheikh Joaan. “This diversity is our greatest strength but it also requires us to work in unity, guided by mutual respect and our shared commitment to the Olympic values. Through unity, we transform diversity into opportunity. We empower our National Olympic Committees and we provide a platform for our youth to excel on the world’s sporting stage.

“Together, let’s work towards a more united, stronger, and successful OCA. Together for Asia.”

2029 Asian Winter Games Cancellation

Qatar, meanwhile, is due to host the Asian Games in both 2030 and 2034. However, the planned 2029 edition of the Asian Winter Games in Neom, Saudi Arabia has been postponed indefinitely due to reported construction delays.

To date, there have been nine editions of the Asian Winter Games, with the most recent event taking place in Harbin, China, almost a year ago.