Tashkent: The General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia has elected H.E.
Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al-Thani as President of the Council, during its meeting held today in the Uzbek capital, Tashkent. Sheikh Joaan was elected by acclamation after standing as the sole candidate for the position, marking the beginning of a new chapter for the Asian Olympic Movement.
The election reflected the strong confidence placed in Sheikh Joaan by the Asian Olympic family and widespread recognition of his extensive leadership experience and long-standing contributions to sport at continental and international levels. In his speech at the General Assembly, H.E.
Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani stressed that accepting the presidency of the Olympic Council of Asia stems from a deep sense of responsibility toward the Asian Olympic family, reaffirming his commitment to serving all National Olympic Committees with openness, fairness, and respect, while keeping athletes at the heart of Olympic work. He outlined his vision for the next phase of the OCA, highlighting the importance of strengthening solidarity among Asian nations, promoting good governance, and supporting the sustainable development of sport, in addition to expanding opportunities to host major international events in Asia, empowering athletes, and inspiring future generations through collective action and effective partnerships across the Olympic Movement. During the General Assembly, H.E.
Shavkat Mirziyoyev, President of the Republic of Uzbekistan, awarded H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani the Order of Honour of the National Olympic Committee of Uzbekistan, in recognition of his outstanding contributions to the development of the Olympic Movement and his active role in strengthening the stature of Asian sport. H.E. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani is regarded as one of the leading sports figures in the State of Qatar and the Asian region. Since 2015, he has led the development of Qatari sport in his capacity as President of the Qatar Olympic Committee, advancing a comprehensive strategic vision that has strengthened Qatar’s presence at both the continental and international levels, while firmly establishing the country’s position as a global destination for hosting major sporting events. Influential International Roles Sheikh Joaan has maintained a strong and active presence within the international Olympic Movement through his involvement in several International Olympic Committee commissions and affiliated bodies. Since 2022, he has been a member of the IOC’s Olympism 365 Commission, having previously served on the Public Affairs and Social Development through Sport Commission from 2018 to 2022. He has also been a Board Member of the Olympic Refuge Foundation since 2017.
In addition, Sheikh Joaan has served as Senior Vice President and Vice President for Asia of the Association of National Olympic Committees since 2022, and was a member of the Executive Board of the Olympic Council of Asia until 2024, underscoring the confidence placed in his leadership by international sports institutions.
National Contributions and Major Event Hosting Under Sheikh Joaan’s leadership, Qatar successfully secured the hosting rights for the Doha 2030 Asian Games, FIVB 2029 Volleyball Men's World Championship and the FIBA Basketball World Cup Qatar 2027.
He also played an instrumental role in bringing and overseeing the successful organisation of several major international sporting events, including the World Aquatics Championships Doha 2024, the World Judo Championships 2023, FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, the ANOC World Beach Games 2019, the World Athletics Championships Doha 2019, the FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships 2018, and the IHF Men’s Handball World Championship 2015. Additionally, Qatar hosted the IPC Athletics World Championships and the AIBA World Boxing Championships in 2015 under his guidance. Since 2024, Sheikh Joaan has served as Vice President of the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, continuing his role in advancing excellence in the planning and delivery of world-class sporting events, following his earlier membership of the committee between 2018 and 2022.
Olympic Achievements Under His Leadership Under the leadership of H.E. Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al-Thani, Qatari sport recorded a sustained rise on the Olympic stage, highlighted by landmark achievements across successive Games. During his presidency of the Qatar Olympic Committee, Qatar delivered its most successful Olympic performances, beginning with a silver medal by Mutaz Barshim at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, which marked Qatar’s emergence among the world’s elite in athletics. That momentum culminated at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, where Qatar achieved its best-ever Olympic result.
The Games witnessed a historic breakthrough as weightlifter Fares Ibrahim captured Qatar’s first Olympic gold medal in the men’s 96kg category, while Barshim added another gold medal in the high jump, confirming his status as one of the greatest athletes of his generation. Qatar also achieved a milestone in team sports, with beach volleyball duo Cherif Younousse and Ahmed Tijan securing the bronze medal. These achievements saw Qatar finish top of the Arab medal standings at Tokyo 2020. The Olympic success continued at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where Barshim added a bronze medal to Qatar’s tally, underscoring the consistency and longevity of elite performance achieved under Sheikh Joaan’s leadership and the effectiveness of Qatar’s long-term athlete development strategy. In Paralympic sport, Qatar recorded a notable presence at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games, where Abdulrahman Abdulqader claimed the silver medal in the men’s shot put, while Sara Masoud added another silver medal in the women’s shot put, reflecting the continued development of programs supporting athletes with disabilities and their integration into Qatar’s high-performance sports system. Qatar’s Paralympic achievements continued at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games, as Abdulrahman Abdulqader secured the bronze medal in the men’s shot put, underlining the sustainability of institutional efforts and Qatar’s growing profile on the international Paralympic stage. Commitment to Sports Excellence Sheikh Joaan’s passion for sport is particularly evident in equestrian disciplines. He has chaired the Board of Al Shaqab and led its Steering Committee since 2021, playing a key role in the development of equestrian sport in Qatar.
In 2014, he founded Al Shaqab Racing, further reinforcing Qatar’s global presence in the sport. His contributions to football have also been significant, having served as Vice-President of Al Sadd Sports Club from 2012 to 2015. Academic Background and Leadership Recognition Beyond sport, Sheikh Joaan serves as Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Qatar Leadership Academy, reflecting his commitment to developing future generations of leaders.
His contributions to sport and the Olympic Movement have been recognised through several prestigious awards, including the Contribution to the Olympic Movement Award from ANOC in 2019 and the Corporate Social Responsibility Person of the Year Award from Qatar University in 2015. The election of Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al-Thani as President of the Olympic Council of Asia marks a significant milestone for Asian sport and highlights Qatar’s growing influence in shaping the future of the Olympic Movement across the continent.
