The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Election Committee has confirmed that Randhir Singh is the sole eligible candidate for the OCA Presidency. Singh, who is currently serving as the Acting President, will stand for election at the OCA General Assembly scheduled for September 8, 2024.
The Election Committee, led by Justice Rohinton Nariman, convened to examine the credentials and eligibility of all nominated candidates, as stipulated by the OCA Constitution and Election Rules. Singh's nomination, submitted by the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of India and supported by 27 member NOCs, met the necessary criteria.
In contrast, Mongolian Olympic Committee President Battushig Batbold was found ineligible. The Committee determined that Batbold did not meet the Constitutional requirements, which include serving as an NOC President or an OCA Executive Board member for at least eight years. Following this decision, the NOC of Mongolia's Secretary General confirmed Batbold's withdrawal from the presidential race.
The Committee also reviewed nominations for the five OCA Zonal Vice Presidents and the five OCA Executive Board members. These roles require candidates from different zones and of different genders within each zone. The eligible Vice President candidates include:
• East: Mr. Timothy Fok (Hong Kong) and Mr. Battushig Batbold (Mongolia)
• Southeast: Dr. Norza Zakaria (Malaysia)
• South Asia: HRH Prince Jigyel Wangchuk (Bhutan) and Mr. Maxwell De Silva (Sri Lanka)
• Central Zone: Mr. Otabek Umarov (Uzbekistan) and Mr. Sadyr Mamytov (Kyrgyzstan)
• West Asia: Dr. Thani Al Kuwari (Qatar)
The Committee confirmed the eligibility of Executive Board Member nominations from all zones. According to Article 16.2.3 of the OCA Constitution, if a male candidate is elected as Vice-President, the Executive Board Member from the same zone must be female. Notably, there were no nominations from the South Asia Zone for the Executive Board Member position.
Randhir Singh's likely ascension to the OCA Presidency is significant as it brings stability and experienced leadership to the organization. With broad support from member NOCs, Singh is positioned to influence the future direction of the OCA, potentially impacting various aspects of the Asian sports community.
For more details, the official announcement can be accessed on the OCA website.
