National Olympic Committee Participates in 46th OCA General Assembly in Tashkent

A delegation from the National Olympic Committee took part in the 46th General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia, held yesterday, Monday, in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent, in the presence of the President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Dr Shavkat Mirziyoyev. The meeting was attended by the presidents and representatives of 45 Asian National Olympic Committees, alongside representatives of the International Olympic Committee, as well as a number of international sports officials and the presidents of international and Asian sports federations.

The General Assembly witnessed the election of Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, as President of the Olympic Council of Asia, becoming the 22nd President of the Olympic Movement in Asia since the staging of the first multi-sport Asian Games in 1913.

A delegation representing the National Olympic Committee at the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia was led by Faris Mohammed Al Mutawa, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee, accompanied by Mohammed bin Darwish, Executive Director of the NOC.

In his address to the General Assembly, Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani said: “Asia is the largest and most diverse continent within the Olympic family. This diversity is our greatest source of strength, but it requires us to work in a spirit of unity, guided by mutual respect and our shared commitment to Olympic values. Through unity, we turn diversity into opportunity, empower our National Olympic Committees, and provide a platform for our youth to shine on the global sporting stage.”

He added: “Together, let us work towards a more united, stronger and more successful Olympic Council of Asia — together, for Asia.”

Sheikh Joaan also expressed his appreciation for the role played by Raja Randhir Singh in leading the Council during the previous period, saying: “I would like to express my sincere appreciation to my dear friend, His Excellency Mr Raja Randhir, for his leadership, vision and tireless efforts during a period marked by significant challenges.”

The Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia opened the meeting with a welcoming address, followed by the screening of a video message from Kirsty Coventry, President of the International Olympic Committee. The session also included the announcement of the winners of the OCA Merit Award.

The General Assembly further witnessed the signing of host city contracts for the 2029 and 2031 Asian Youth Games, to be staged in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Tashkent, respectively. The Assembly also approved the awarding of hosting rights for the 2027 OCA General Assembly to Qatar, with the date to be announced at a later stage.

In addition, the meeting reviewed reports submitted by the heads of the five geographic zones affiliated with the Olympic Council of Asia, as well as a report presented by the President of the World Anti Doping Agency.

The meeting also reviewed the final report of the Organising Committee of the Asian Winter Games held in Harbin. In addition, participants were briefed on reports related to the three Asian Games events scheduled throughout 2026: the Asian Beach Games in Sanya, hosted by China in April; the Asian Games in Aichi–Nagoya, Japan, in September; and the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games in Riyadh in December.

Members of the General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia also reviewed an update on the General Assembly of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), presented by the Hong Kong Olympic Committee. The meeting further discussed reports submitted by the heads of the Council’s standing committees.