Muscat, Oman, December 15, 2020: The President of the Olympic Council of Asia, His Excellency Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, welcomed one new member and one returning member to the OCA Executive Board in Muscat, Oman on Tuesday.
The new member is Otabek Umarov, who has joined the OCA Executive Board as a Vice President connected to Uzbekistan’s hosting of the fourth Asian Youth Games in Tashkent in 2025.
“I am very happy and honoured to join the OCA Executive Board at this very exciting time for the Olympic sports movement in Asia,” he said.
“We are looking forward to welcoming the OCA family to our capital city Tashkent in 2025 for the fourth edition of the Asian Youth Games. Planning and preparations are already underway and we are confident that we will host one of the best games in OCA history.
“Thank you, OCA, for giving Uzbekistan this place on the Executive Board and I am sure we will benefit from all the experience and knowledge in the build-up to the Asian Youth Games Tashkent 2025.”
Umarov attended the 74th Executive Board meeting in person at the Kempinski Hotel in Muscat on Tuesday, one day ahead of the 39th OCA General Assembly during which the host city contract signing ceremony will take place.
Sheikh Ahmad also welcomed back to the Executive Board Mikako Kotani, who returns in her previous position as Chair of the OCA Athletes Committee to succeed compatriot Koji Murofushi.
Kotani won two bronze medals at the Seoul Olympics in 1988 – in women’s synchronised (now artistic) swimming solo and duet – and is Sports Director of Tokyo 2020. She succeeded Murofushi in this role on October 1 after Murofushi took over as Commissioner of the government’s Japan Sports Agency.
Kotani is a member of the Japanese Olympic Committee Executive Board and has vast Olympic experience nationally, regionally and globally.
“I am thrilled to be back in the OCA after 16 years and I would like to say thank you to the OCA President and Executive Board members for giving me this opportunity,” she said.
“I am looking forward to helping the athletes and the Asian Games from an athlete’s point of view. Thank you very much for having me back.”