Randhir Singh's ill-health reportedly necessitated election of new OCA head
Randhir became first Indian to be elected as OCA president in September 2024
OCA holding General Assembly in Tashkent from January 24 to 27
Veteran Indian sports administrator Randhir Singh's tenure as Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) president will come to a premature end as his ill-health necessitated the election of a new head of the continental body during its General Assembly in Tashkent on Monday.
In September 2024, Randhir became the first Indian to be elected as OCA president during the 44th General Assembly of the continental body here. He was elected as OCA president for a four-year term till 2028. But after around 17 months at the helm, he will be replaced by a new chief at the Uzbekistan capital.
"He (Randhir) is unable to carry out his duties and functions. Because of his ill health, a need has arisen to elect a new president of the OCA," a well-placed source in the OCA told PTI on Sunday.
The 79-year-old Randhir has not been well for some time.
Qatar Olympic Committee President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani is set to be elected as the OCA chief on Monday as he is the lone candidate in the fray for the top post. The OCA presidentship at this juncture will be significant as the Asian Games will be held in Japan later this year.
The OCA is holding General Assembly in Tashkent from January 24 to 27, with the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) also being represented.
Randhir, a five-time Olympic shooter, was the lone candidate in the fray for the OCA president's post when he was elected in 2024. His tenure was to run from 2024 till 2028.
Before that, Randhir acted as the OCA acting president since 2021, filling in for Kuwait's Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who was handed a 15-year ban from sports administration in 2024 over ethics breaches. He was at the helm of affairs at the OCA during the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China.
Hailing from Patiala in Punjab and belonging to a family of sportspersons, Randhir has held different administrative posts in Indian and Asian sports bodies. He served as the Secretary General of the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) from 1987 to 2012.
Randhir was also a member of the IOC between 2001 and 2014, after which he continued as the honorary member of the global sports body.
