Daily Times

LAHORE: The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) elected Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al-Sabah as the new President at the 42nd OCA General Assembly in Bangkok, Thailand on Saturday. Sheikh Talal received 24 of the 44 votes cast, while the OCA Director General, Husain Al-Musallam, received 20. The simple majority required was 23. Sheikh Talal, 58, is the son of the first OCA President, Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who was President from 1982 to 1990, and the younger brother of the previous OCA President, Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the organisation from 1991 to 2021. Former Secretary General Randhir Singh of India had led the OCA as its acting President since 2021. Sheikh Talal election keeps the leadership of the Kuwait-based OCA in the House of the Al Sabah family. In his 15-minute election presentation, Sheikh Talal’s motto was “One Asia, One Family” and he built his campaign around five main pillars: good governance, financial sustainability, development plan for sports and activities, education programmes and high-quality Asian Games.

Pakistan’s Arif Hasan
re-elected: Pakistan added another feather in its cap when Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) President Lt Gen (r) Syed Arif Hasan was re-elected as the OCA Vice President for South Asia (2023-2027) for the fifth time in a row at the General Assembly meeting of the OCA held in Thailand capital Bangkok on Saturday. Arif is one of the five Zonal Vice Presidents of OCA and has been re-elected unopposed for the South Asian Zone which comprises Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. It is under his dynamic leadership that the Olympic Movement of Pakistan has secured autonomy as envisaged in the Olympic Charter. The re-election of Arif as OCA Vice President is a big achievement for Pakistan. It will surely benefit the country in making its presence felt at the important international forum. The Pakistan government should not only engage Arif and the National Olympic Committee Pakistan in development of sports but also comprehend the potential of sports and use it in realization of a bright future of the country.

The OCA is the apex sporting body which controls all the sports in Asia. It is one of the five continental associations recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC). The OCA was formed in 1982 and has its permanent headquarters in Kuwait. The main objective of the OCA is to develop sport, culture and education of Asian youth as well as to promote international respect, friendship, goodwill and peace through sport. It pertinent to mention that Arif was also conferred the highest award in Asia known as the OCA Merit Award in 2018 in Jakarta, Indonesia in recognition of his services for the protection and promotion of the Olympic Movement at national and Asian arenas.

Arif’s unopposed election to the post of Vice President, for the fifth term, speaks volumes of the trust that the OCA has in him. Arif has led the Olympic Movement of Pakistan with dedication and resolve for the cause of sports as is evident from his determined stance on a transparent and an all-inclusive system in national sports in line with the Olympic Charter. His commitments to the development of youth through sports and gender equality have always been his topmost priority. He has always advocated that sports must be utilised to develop the leadership qualities of youth and build a healthy, vibrant Pakistan through sports. Arif has expressed his gratitude to the entire Asian Olympic fraternity and in particular new OCA President Sheikh Talal.