Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani Chairs the 109th OCA Executive Board Meeting in Sanya

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April 21, 2026
HH Shekh
21-April-2026

Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani Chairs the 109th OCA Executive Board Meeting in Sanya

Sanya, China – His Excellency Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), chaired the 109th meeting of the OCA Executive Board, held in the city of Sanya, People’s Republic of China, on the sidelines of the 6th Asian Beach Games – Sanya 2026.

At the outset, His Excellency welcomed the esteemed members of the Executive Board, expressing his appreciation for their continuous efforts in advancing the Asian Olympic movement.

The meeting reviewed a number of key agenda items, most notably the approval of the minutes from the previous meeting held in Kuwait, alongside updates from various committees. Foremost among these was the report of the Organising Committee for the upcoming Asian Games – Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

The Organising Committee delivered a comprehensive presentation on the latest preparations, highlighting that the Games’ sports programme will feature 43 sports, 70 disciplines, and 468 events. The update also pointed to encouraging indicators, including strong public interest and rising ticket sales.

Financial matters were also discussed, including the audited interim financial statements for the first quarter of 2026, in addition to reports from the Audit and Risk Committee—reflecting the OCA’s firm commitment to the highest standards of governance and transparency.

The Board further addressed developments concerning the Asian Games across their various stages, and reviewed a letter of intent submitted by the National Olympic Committee of Mongolia to host the Asian Indoor and Martial Arts Games (AIMAG 2030). In this context, His Excellency reaffirmed the OCA’s continued efforts to evaluate host city bids amid growing continental interest in staging its events.

Looking ahead, 27 April will witness the signing of a host agreement with the Government of the Philippines and the Philippine Olympic Committee for the 7th Asian Beach Games 2028 in Cebu. In addition, the Executive Board approved a special exception granting the Malaysian state of Johor the right to host the 8th Asian Beach Games in 2029.

The OCA also announced that Doha will host the next OCA General Assembly on 27 January 2027, during which the Council’s President for the new term (2027–2035) will be elected.

Furthermore, the Executive Board approved the nomination of Mr. Kudrat Shamyov as OCA Vice President for the 10th Asian Winter Games – Almaty 2029. He currently serves as a member of the Executive Committee of the National Olympic Committee of Kazakhstan and President of the Kazakhstan Taekwondo Federation.

This meeting underscores the Olympic Council of Asia’s ongoing commitment to strengthening the Olympic movement across the continent, enhancing coordination among National Olympic Committees and sports federations, and fostering greater institutional integration to drive Asian sport toward continued excellence and leadership.