The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Election Committee has confirmed that Raja Randhir Singh is the sole eligible candidate for the upcoming presidential election at the OCA General Assembly on September 8, 2024. Singh, who currently serves as the Acting President of the OCA, was nominated by the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of India and has received backing from 27 Member NOCs of the OCA.
This announcement followed a comprehensive review by the Election Committee, chaired by Justice Rohinton Nariman, which evaluated the CVs and eligibility requirements of all nominated candidates in accordance with the OCA Constitution, Election Rules, and Guidelines. The committee's unanimous approval of Singh's nomination emphasizes the broad support and confidence in his leadership within the organization.
The committee also reviewed the candidacy of Mr. Battushig Batbold, President of the Mongolian Olympic Committee, who was nominated by the NOC of Mongolia. However, Batbold was deemed ineligible as he did not meet the eligibility criteria outlined in Articles 22.1.2.1, 22.1.2.2, and 22.1.2.3 of the OCA Constitution, which require that the OCA President must either have served as President of his NOC for at least eight years or have been an OCA Executive Board (EB) member for at least eight years, and must be supported by two NOCs. Subsequently, Batbold withdrew his candidacy.
The Election Committee also assessed nominations for the five OCA Zonal Vice Presidents and five OCA Executive Board members. The eligible Vice President candidates are:
• East: Mr. Timothy Fok (Hong Kong) and Mr. Battushig Batbold (Mongolia)
• Southeast: Dr. Norza Zakaria (Malaysia)
• South Asia: HRH Prince Jigyel Wangchuk (Bhutan) and Mr. Maxwell De Silva (Sri Lanka)
• Central Zone: Mr. Otabek Umarov (Uzbekistan) and Mr. Sadyr Mamytov (Kyrgyzstan)
• West Asia: Dr. Thani Al Kuwari (Qatar)
All nominations for Executive Board Members from the respective zones were deemed eligible. However, according to Article 16.2.3 of the OCA Constitution, if a male candidate is elected as Vice President, the Executive Board Member from that zone must be female, rendering male candidates automatically ineligible. Notably, no nominations were received from the South Asia Zone for the position of Executive Board Member.
This decision has significant implications for the future of the OCA, as it ensures a streamlined election process and sets the stage for continued stability and strategic leadership within the organization. Singh's candidacy, supported by a substantial number of NOCs, suggests a unified vision for the future of Asian sports under his leadership. The eligibility evaluations and subsequent decisions also reflect the OCA's commitment to upholding its constitutional guidelines and promoting gender diversity within its governance framework.
Source: https://oca.asia/news/5242-raja-randhir-singh-sole-candidate-for-oca-presidency.html
