The Olympic Council of Asia disclosed that 27 of its 45 member National Olympic Committees submitted nominations backing H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani for the presidency covering 2027 to 2035. The nomination period closed at 5 p.m. Kuwait time on June 30, 2026, according to an OCA media release. No other candidates were put forward for the position. The release added that the body’s next General Assembly, set to formalize the leadership choice, will convene in Doha on Jan. 27, 2027.
Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani thanked the supporting committees for their trust and confidence in his leadership, the OCA statement said. The Qatari sports figure has held the OCA presidency since January 2026, when he was elected at the 46th General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. An AP News report from that period noted he received 44 votes with one abstention among the attending NOCs.
According to the Association of National Olympic Committees website, Sheikh Joaan also serves as ANOC senior vice president and as president of the Qatar Olympic Committee. His election in early 2026 filled the remainder of the term left vacant after former OCA president Randhir Singh stepped down for health reasons. The OCA release confirmed the current nomination process targets the subsequent full term.
The Olympic Council of Asia, established in 1982 and headquartered in Kuwait City, oversees continental multisport events including the Asian Games, Wikipedia entries on the body indicate. Its 45 member National Olympic Committees span the region from the Middle East through Central and East Asia to the Pacific. Official OCA records list Sheikh Joaan as the 22nd president in the organization’s history since the first Asian Games in 1913.
In his January 2026 acceptance address, Sheikh Joaan outlined a vision called “Together for Asia” that committed to empowering NOCs and providing platforms for youth athletes, an ANOC summary of the event reported. The upcoming Doha assembly will mark the first full-term election under his leadership if the unopposed nomination holds. OCA figures show the body has coordinated major events across diverse climates and infrastructures throughout its more than four decades of operation.
Sheikh Joaan’s current role builds on Qatar’s growing influence in global sports governance, a pattern highlighted in Gulf Times coverage of regional Olympic activities. The OCA statement did not detail specific vote thresholds required for confirmation at the assembly. Preparations for the January 2027 gathering are already under way in the Qatari capital, according to separate announcements from the Qatar Olympic Committee.
