As the first Indian to hold this prestigious position, Randhir Singh’s being elected on Sunday to a four-year term as president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) marks a historic moment. At Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan in New Delhi, the 44th General Assembly held the official announcement of his election. Since Singh was the only applicant for the position—a seasoned sports administrator and former shooter—OCA delegates unanimously chose him.
In addition to having a stellar shooting career spanning more than two decades, he also made contributions to a number of sports organizations, notably the Indian Olympic Association. His term is scheduled to run from 2024 to 2028.
Singh has been the OCA’s acting president since 2021. He replaced Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah of Kuwait, who earlier this year was banned from sports administration for 15 years for ethical transgressions. In addition to Singh, during the assembly in New Delhi, five vice presidents and an equal number of executive board members were elected without opposition.
As Singh stressed in his comments to Reuters after the assembly, this collective election shows a strong sense of togetherness among the OCA members.
Singh said his commitment to promoting unity within the OCA, saying that the solidarity seen in Asia is demonstrated by his unanimous election. He emphasized that keeping the OCA family united was his major goal and expressed his happiness with the unopposed elections. Prior to formally assuming the role of OCA president, Singh recognized that increasing sponsorship and improving marketing for the Asian Games were top concerns.
