Tashkent, January 26 (QNA) - The election of HE President of the Qatar Olympic Committee Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani as President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) has earned wider traction and commendations from sports leaders across Asia, particularly from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states.
A variety of officials at OCA and national Olympic committees spoke to Qatar News Agency (QNA), expressing their confidence in HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani's leading capabilities and immense expertise in administering sports activities and advancing the sports movement in Asia.
Vice President of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee (SOPC) Prince Fahd bin Jalawi Al-Saud affirmed that electing HE Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al-Thani represents a triumph for sports in the entire Asia, and the Gulf region in particular.
Taking on the mantle of this high-profile tenure is a pride for all, as HE Sheikh Joaan represents the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as he does Qatar, amid the historic and long-standing relationship between the two countries, he underlined.
Prince Fahd said he is fully confident in the massive expertise HE Sheikh Joaan possesses to crucially help advance Asian sports and elevate them to the highest global heights. He asserted his full support and absolute trust in HE Sheikh Joaan's capability to spearhead OCA toward a new era of achievements.
For his part, President of the Kuwait Olympic Committee Sheikh Fahad Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah stressed that floating HE Sheikh Joaan to lead OCA is a gain for the entire Asia. He commended the clear footprints of Sheikh Joaan in the advancement of Qatari and Asian sports, declaring Kuwait's unequivocal backing of his upcoming career.
This successful selection is highly cherished and greeted by the entire Gulf and Asia, as HE Sheikh Joaan's compelling and successful career has been monitored in sports fields domestically and beyond, leaving explicit and influential footprints that made him the most deserving one for this high-profile position, Sheikh Fahad pointed out.
Sheikh Fahad elaborated that having Sheikh Joaan in the upper echelon of this council underscores the tremendous confidence in his leadership capabilities and effective role in developing the sports movement on the Asian stage to lead them toward new heights of excellence.
Secretary-General of the United Arab Emirates National Olympic Committee Faris Al Mutawa asserted that this election is a pride for the GCC nations and all Arabs.
Today's congratulations go to the Gulf region and Asia in general for this successful selection, since having HE Sheikh Joaan take on the mantle of this leadership is an extraordinary milestone and a true nurturing of the Asian Olympic movement, by dint of his in-depth vision and field expertise that have materialized in years-long accumulation marked by contributions in sports fields, Al Mutawa noted.
The UAE looks forward to reinforcing combined efforts and effective collaboration with OCA, led by HE Sheikh Joaan, to help achieve further successes that appropriately suit the ambitions of the Asian peoples, he added.
Al Mutawa asserted that this milestone is a natural extension of Sheikh Joaan's illustrious career in serving sports, adding that he is confident OCA will move ahead toward achieving epic ambitions, as well as strengthening the Asian sports movement and elevating it to new heights of excellence.
For his part, President of the Palestine Olympic Committee Jibril Rajoub asserted that this election underscores Qatar's standing in buttressing Asian sports awareness. He suggested that undoubtedly success and development would be concrete in the coming period while HE Sheikh Joaan spearheads the Asian sports movement, relying on the tremendous successes he has achieved throughout the past era.
Rajoub further stressed that this election would deepen a systematic approach that would achieve the interests of all members of Olympic committees, as well as accomplish the sublime mission of the council. (QNA)