His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Honorary Executive Board member and President of Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council with President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev during His Royal Highness’ visit to Tashkent, Uzbekistan to attend the 46th Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly.
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Honorary Executive Board member and President of Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council, attended the 46th Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly
His Royal Highness congratulating Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, First Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees and President of the National Olympic Committee of Qatar, on being elected as new President of Olympic Council of Asia
His Royal Highness with other delegates during a visit to the exhibitions at the Islamic Civilization Center
His Royal Highness Prince Haji Sufri Bolkiah, Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Honorary Executive Board member and President of Brunei Darussalam National Olympic Council, attended the 46th Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Monday.
The General Assembly gathered representatives from the OCA, National Olympic Committees of member countries, the International Olympic Committee, international sports organisations, and officials from Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Sports, as well as the national Olympic and Paralympic Committees.
The meeting served as a platform for discussions on strategic priorities for sports development in Asia, preparations for major international competitions, and initiatives to strengthen the Olympic movement across the region.
A key highlight was the election of a new OCA president. Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani, First Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees and President of the National Olympic Committee of Qatar, was unanimously elected to the post.
Delegates also signed an official agreement confirming Tashkent as host of the IV Asian Youth Games in 2029.
President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, in his address at the Assembly, said that in a challenging global environment, sport plays an unparalleled role in strengthening dialogue, mutual understanding and cooperation among states and peoples. He described sport as a true ambassador of peace and friendship, highlighting its immeasurable capacity to unite all of humanity, including the peoples of the Asian continent, in ways that cannot be measured or compared.
He added that the Olympic Council of Asia, which brings together more than 4.8 billion people across the continent, actively promotes the core ideals of the Olympic Movement – friendship, mutual respect, fairness and equality – and makes a significant contribution to positive regional change by advancing the vision of a ‘United Asia’ through sports diplomacy.
Prior to the Assembly, His Royal Highness joined the delegation on a visit to the Islamic Civilization Center, which showcases Central Asia’s history and the scientific and spiritual heritage of Islamic civilisation. Established on the initiative of President Mirziyoyev, the centre highlights the harmony between history, science and modern innovation. The delegation was welcomed by the centre’s director, Firdavs Abdulkhalikov.
His Royal Highness also visited the Olympic Village, which features advanced engineering and distinctive architecture.
The complex includes Uzbekistan’s first international-standard velodrome, built with laminated wood tracks and temperature control for year-round use, and seating for 2,200 spectators in line with International Olympic Committee standards.
The Olympic Village also houses 15 outdoor pitches for various sports, a 400-bed Paralympic dormitory, a sports medicine research centre, and an Aquatic Palace with Olympic-standard pools for swimming, diving and water polo.
At its centre is a 12,000-seat stadium equipped to host 48 athletics disciplines, including world championships, Diamond League events, Paralympic tournaments and IBSA Games.
An adjoining four-storey building accommodates sports federation headquarters and national team training facilities.
Two additional three-storey arenas, each seating 2,000 spectators, have been built for team sports and martial arts, supporting events such as volleyball, basketball, handball, judo, boxing and taekwondo. – James Kon
