OCA elects Sheikh Talal as new President

Kuwait’s Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah has been elected as the new President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) following a vote overshadowed by allegations of corruption. Sheikh Talal replaces his older brother Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021 when he was forced to step down after being found guilty of forgery in a court in Geneva and sentenced to at least 13 months in prison.

The 58-year-old Sheikh Talal beat Kuwaiti Husain Al-Musallam, the organisation’s director general and President of World Aquatics, at the OCA General Assembly in Bangkok by 24 votes to 20. Sheikh Talal’s election means that the House of Sabah retains control of the OCA.

About the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA)

The OCA was founded in 1982 by his father Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, who led it until 1990 when he was killed defending Dasman Palace on the first day of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait. The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is a governing body of sports in Asia, currently with 45 member National Olympic Committees. The current President is Talal Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah.

In 1948, during the 1948 Summer Olympics, Asian National Olympic Committees (NOCs) decided to organize the Asian Games, under the auspices of Asian Games Federation. The following year the Asian Games Federation was organized. Decades later this would be reorganized and the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) was established in New Delhi on 16 November 1982. The International Olympic Committee recognized the OCA within the same year.

The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) together with the Asian Sports Federation (AESF) announced a new campaign for the upcoming 2022 Asian Games. The campaign, ‘Road to Asian Games’ will be officially organized by the AESF and aims to bring the Olympic spirit to eSports and introduce an education program for participating eSports athletes.

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