At the 46th Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani of Qatar was elected President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), succeeding former President Randhir Singh, who stepped down due to health reasons.
Iran NOC; Tehran: Sheikh Joaan
becomes the 22nd leader of the continental sports body representing 45 Asian
National Olympic Committees. In his acceptance remarks, Sheikh Joaan reflected
on his journey from participating in the 2006 Doha Asian Games torch relay as a
teenager to now leading Asia’s Olympic movement, a moment he said he “never
imagined” would come. He outlined a strategic vision titled “Together for
Asia”, emphasizing unity, solidarity, athletic excellence, good governance,
innovation, and inclusive development across the region.
The new OCA President also paid
tribute to his predecessor’s leadership and underlined the importance of
empowering National Olympic Committees and advancing Asia’s role within the
global Olympic family through partnership and shared Olympic values. Sheikh
Joaan has also served as President of Qatar Olympic Committee and
Vice-President of ANOC.