OCA General Assembly approves constitutional reforms

The Olympic Council of Asia unanimously approved a series of constitutional reforms at the 43rd OCA General Assembly in Bangkok on Saturday.

After the OCA Executive Board approved the new constitution, with amendments, at an online meeting on 30 April, the International Olympic Committee reported that the new constitution was in keeping with the Olympic Charter governing the global Olympic Movement.

This paved the way for the OCA General Assembly to approve the amendments, which focus mainly on governance.

When the proposal to approve the constitutional reforms was put to the house, all 45 National Olympic Committees raised a green card for “go”. There were no objections and no abstentions.

Following the vote, a series of NOCs spoke out in favour of the work of the Acting OCA President, Raja Randhir Singh, in steering the OCA into calm waters following the OCA Election for President last July which was declared null and void by the IOC, resulting in the governance reforms.

NOC delegates highlighted the success of the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China last September and October, describing them as the best in history under the leadership of the Acting OCA President.

Raja Randhir thanked the Chair of the OCA Constitutional Reforms Committee, Lt. Gen (ret) Arif Hasan of Pakistan, and his team for completing the task within six months, during which they consulted all 45 National Olympic Committees and held five online meetings for the five zones.

“Thank you for your wonderful work. It shows our unity,” said Raja Randhir. “It has been a wonderful morning – and a great job done.”

*The OCA General Assembly also heard that the Kuwait government had approved an extension to the lease of the land for the OCA HQ, which was due to expire in September 2024.

The OCA thanked His Highness the Amir of the State of Kuwait, Sheikh Meshal Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah.