Randhir Singh. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has asked Randhir Singh to continue as the acting president of Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) in view of its investigation into the continental body’s elections held in Bangkok earlier this month.
The IOC had warned former OCA president Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who was convicted of forgery in a political case relating to his country Kuwait by a Geneva court in September 2021 and stepped down from the OCA post, against travelling to Bangkok in order to prevent his involvement in the elections.
However, Sheikh Ahmad visited the Thailand capital and eventually his younger brother Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah was elected the OCA president prompting the IOC to launch an inquiry into the elections.
Sheikh Ahmad, the IOC Member in Kuwait and country’s Defence Minister, was provisionally suspended at the IOC Executive Board meeting on July 27.
In a letter addressed to Mr. Singh, IOC’s Director, Olympic Solidarity, NOC Relations and Olympism365, James Macleod said, “Seeing as the IOC investigation is likely not to be concluded before October 2023 and since the IOC has not recognised the election of Sheikh Talal Al-Sabah, the IOC will continue to work with you as OCA’s acting president and with the OCA Executive Board that was in place prior to the Bangkok General Assembly.”
Mr. Singh, who earlier served as OCA’s secretary general and became its acting president after Sheikh Ahmad’s exit in 2021, will continue to be the acting chief of the continental body during the Hangzhou Asian Games, starting in the last week of September.
“Following the outcome of the IOC investigation, we will work with you to implement the next steps of a roadmap to ensure the continued functioning of the OCA according to the basic principles of good governance,” said the letter.
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