Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, was elected President of the Olympic Council of Asia by acclamation during the 46th General Assembly meeting held on Monday in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent.
Sheikh Joaan became the 22nd president of the Olympic movement in Asia since the first Asian Games in 1913.
Sheikh Joaan (39 years old) was elected as the sole candidate for the position, following the closing of nominations last July. He will assume the presidency of the council for the remainder of the current term, succeeding Indian President Raja Randhir Singh, who stepped down for health reasons.
The general assembly saw the participation of representatives of the 45 Asian National Olympic Committees, in the presence of Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in an event that reflects the growing importance of the Olympic Council of Asia and its role in developing sports on the continent.
Sheikh Joaan holds several prominent sports positions, most notably as the First Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) for Asia since 2022, in addition to his presidency of the Qatar Olympic Committee since 2015.
During his address to the General Assembly, Sheikh Joaan stressed that the diversity of the Asian continent represents a real source of strength for the Olympic Movement, emphasizing the importance of joint action and unity under the slogan of the next phase: “Together for Asia,” which is based on strengthening solidarity, supporting sports development, and building the capacities of National Olympic Committees.
He also expressed his appreciation to former President Raja Randhir Singh, praising his role and efforts in leading the council during a challenging period.
