New Delhi, India, September 8, 2024: The Olympic Council of Asia’s newly elected President, Raja Randhir Singh, said that a personal visit to His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, was high on his list of priorities.
Raja Randhir said he would like to thank His Highness the Amir for all the support he has shown to the Olympic Council of Asia, which has its HQ in Kuwait.
“I would like to thank the Amir of Kuwait for all the support the Kuwaiti Government has given the OCA. I will go to call on him personally,” Raja Randhir said during the 44th OCA General Assembly in New Delhi on Sunday.
“He agreed to extend the lease on the land for the OCA headquarters in no time at all and has been very kind and very supportive. I will visit him and thank him on behalf of all of us.”
Raja Randhir added that, with a new team of OCA Vice Presidents and Executive Board members in place, it was fitting to hold the next OCA General Assembly in Kuwait on dates to be fixed.
In other news from the OCA GA:
*A flag handover ceremony took place between Thailand, OCA and Saudi Arabia for the next hosting of the Asian Indoor and Martial Games in Riyadh in 2026. Bangkok and Chonburi were due to hold the 6th AIMAG this November but it was cancelled by the OCA due to a lack of guarantees in the host city contract.
*The OCA agreed to officially recognize yoga after approval by both the OCA Sports Committee and the OCA Executive Board. This will clear the way for yoga to join one of the OCA’s multi-sport games, possibly as a demonstration sport at the start.
*World Boxing President Boris van der Vorst addressed the General Assembly and appealed for boxing federations affiliated to National Olympic Committees to join World Boxing and safeguard the future of the sport at the Olympic Games. With the IOC withdrawing recognition of the International Boxing Association (AIBA), an IOC task force has organised the boxing competition at the last two Olympics - Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 - but will not do so again. So far, World Boxing has 45 member national federations, including nine in Asia. World Boxing is hoping that the IOC will recognise their organisation as the official International Federation in the near future to preserve boxing's place at Los Angeles 2028.