Kuwait City, Kuwait, December 28, 2023: The Acting President of the Olympic Council of Asia, Raja Randhir Singh, has described 2023 as a “very interesting and hectic year” in a new year message to members of the OCA Executive Board and 45 National Olympic Committees.
Raja Randhir also announced that the OCA had restructured its administration.
“After clearance given by the IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer, Mr. Husain Al Musallam has resumed his duties as the Director General. I have also appointed Mr. Vinod Kumar Tiwari as the Deputy Director General, OCA. We have also appointed the heads of various departments from various parts of Asia for more diversity and inclusivity,” Raja Randhir wrote in his report, dated December 26.
Raja Randhir began his communique by conveying the OCA’s heartfelt condolences to the government and people of Kuwait on the demise of the Amir of Kuwait, HH Sheikh Nawaf Al Jaber Al Sabah, who inaugurated the OCA headquarters in 2009. Raja Randhir also congratulated the new Amir of Kuwait, HH Sheikh Mishal Al Ahmad Al Jaber Al Sabah.
“We are coming to the close of the year which has been a very interesting and hectic year to say the least. In spite of all the upheavals, the OCA is moving forward, and we all witnessed a fantastic Asian Games in Hangzhou,” Raja Randhir said.
The OCA has appointed Lt. Genl. Arif Hasan as the Chair of the Constitutional Reforms Committee and has extended the deadline for NOCs to submit comments on the amendments to the constitution by 31st of March 2023.
In other news, Mikako Kotani of Japan will remain as Chair of the OCA Athletes’ Committee until the constitutional reforms have been completed, and Mr. Fumio Ogura of Japan will continue to serve as Acting Chair of the OCA Rules Committee – a role he has held for the past six years.
Looking to the future, the OCA has already scheduled Coordination Committee meetings with the hosts of the 20th Asian Games 2026 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan and of the 9th Asian Winter Games in Harbin, China in February 2025. The two meetings will take place in January.