Kuwait City, Kuwait, January 20, 2025: The Olympic Council of Asia is pleased to announce that six candidates will contest the election for one place on the OCA Athletes Committee during the Harbin Asian Winter Games next month.
For the second time in history, the OCA will conduct an election among athletes for membership of the Athletes Committee, following the first election during the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
This time, athletes at the Harbin AWG from February 7-14 will vote for a winter sports representative to join the committee.
Asia’s National Olympic Committees have nominated the following six candidates:
*Narumi Takahashi (Japan, figure skating)
*Aiza Mambekova (Kazakhstan, figure skating)
*Kim Ho-jun (Korea, snowboarding)
*Zang Yize (China, short track speed skating)
*Komiljon Tukhtaev (Uzbekistan, Alpine skiing)
*Lee Wen-Yi (Chinese Taipei, Alpine skiing)
The OCA’s Deputy Director General, Mr. Vinod Kumar Tiwari, said the list of candidates demonstrated the interest in the work of the Athletes Committee and the growing importance of the voice of athletes in the global Olympic Movement.
“First of all, I would like to thank the six candidates for putting their names forward through their National Olympic Committees for the election to take place in Harbin,” said Mr. Tiwari.
“All the candidates have a wealth of experience in winter sports and I am sure would add value to the OCA Athletes Committee with their unique perspective and exemplary credentials.
“The OCA always puts athletes at the heart of the Olympic Movement and we are delighted with the calibre of the candidates put forward. We wish them all the best for the upcoming election to take place in Harbin during the 9thAsian Winter Games.”
The OCA held elections for the Athletes Committee for the first time in history during the Hangzhou Asian Games in 2023, making sure all five OCA zones were represented by a female and male committee member.
From the athletes elected by their fellow athletes in Hangzhou, Chinese table tennis legend Ding Ning was then elected Chair by her fellow committee members. Shiva Keshavan, a six-time Winter Olympian in luge from India, is Vice Chair.