• Veteran sports administrator Randhir Singh became the first Indian to be elected as the president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) during the 44th General Assembly of the continental body in New Delhi.

• The post of president, five vice presidents for the five zones and five executive board members were all uncontested.

• The electronic voting, by tablet, required a simple majority of 50 per cent plus one from the 45 National Olympic Committees.

• Randhir received 44 out of the 45 votes, with one abstention and no “No” votes.

• A total of 45 nations from Asia participated in the General Assembly. 

Who is Randhir Singh?

• A five-time Olympic shooter, Randhir was the lone eligible candidate for the OCA president’s post. His tenure will run from 2024 till 2028.

• The 77-year-old Randhir has been 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 May this year over ethics breaches.

• Randhir, who held different administrative posts in Indian and Asian sports bodies, was officially named OCA president in the presence of Sports Minister Mansukh Mandaviya and top sports leaders from all 45 countries of Asia.

• He hails from Patiala in Punjab and belongs to a family of sportspersons.

• His uncle, Maharaja Yadavindra Singh, played Test cricket for India and was an IOC member. His father Bhalindra Singh, also a first-class cricketer, was an IOC Member between 1947 and 1992.

• Randhir was also a member of the IOC between 2001 and 2014, after which he continued as the honourary member of the global sports body.

Olympic Council Of Asia

• The Olympic Council Of Asia (OCA) is an independent non-governmental not-for-profit international Asian sport organization for unlimited duration recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the Association of National Olympic Committee (ANOC) and the 45 member Asian National Olympic Committee (NOCs).

• The OCA was established in 1982 in New Delhi and was recognised by the IOC in the same year.

• The administration of the OCA is placed under the responsibility of the Director General. 

• OCA headquarters is situated in Kuwait.

• The OCA is the major events organiser of the Asian Games, the Asian Winter Games, the Asian Beach Games, the Asian Youth Games and other events held on the Asian continent.

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