New Delhi [India], September 8 (ANI): Randhir Singh, the newly-appointed president of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), expressed happiness at his election and also asserted that the OCA is the strongest among all the continental Olympic councils.
Former Indian shooter and veteran sports administrator Randhir was officially elected unopposed as the first Indian President of the OCA at the 44th Olympic Council of Asia General Assembly at the Bharat Mandapam, Pragati Maidan in New Delhi on Sunday.
Speaking to ANI after his election, Randhir said, “The biggest thing is that all bodies have been united. All the NOCs (National Olympic Committees) are with us. It is really great that the meeting happened in India. A lot of people don’t know that the Asian Games started in India (in 1951 at New Delhi). Among all the five Olympic rings (with each ring representing a continent), the strongest one is OCA.”
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The 77-year-old Randhir hails from Patiala, Punjab, and was born into a family of sportspeople. His uncle, Yadavindra Singh, played Test cricket for India and was an IOC member. His father, also a first-class cricketer, Bhalindra Singh, was also an IOC Member between 1947 and 1992.
Randhir competed across four editions of Asian Games between 1978 and 1994, winning an Individual Gold Medal in Trap Shooting in 1978, Individual Bronze Medal in Trap Shooting in 1982, and a Team Silver in Trap Shooting in 1986. He also competed at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, Canada.
In 1979, Randhir was conferred with the prestigious Arjuna Award and also with the Maharaja Ranjit Singh Award for a historic sporting career.
His foray into the sports administration began during his sporting career when he was appointed as the Honourary Secretary General of the Indian Olympic Association in 1987, a position he held till 2012. He also became a member of the governing board of Sports Authority of India in 1987, and held the role till 2010. He also held the position of the Vice-Chairman of the organising committee of the 2010 Delhi Commonwealth Games.
He was appointed as the Secretary General, of OCA in 1991 and held the position till 2015, before taking on the role of Life Vice President which he held till 2021, after which he was appointed as the Acting President of the body. In 1998, Randhir Singh was named as the Founder Secretary General of Afro-Asian Games Council and held the position till 2007.
Randhir became a member of the ANOC Executive Council in 2002. Between 2003 and 2005, he was elected as the IOC representative on the WADA Board, and then became a member of WADA’s Finance and Administration Committee in 2005. He also held the Chair for the 2019 Asian Games Asian Games Coordination Committee.
Randhir also became a member of the IOC between 2001 and 2014, after which he continued on as the honorary member of the global body. During his services for IOC, he was part of numerous IOC commissions, including Olympic Games Study (2002-2003), Sport for All (2004-2013), Women and Sport (2006-2013), International Olympic Truce Foundation (2007), and Coordination for the 1st Summer Youth Olympic Games Singapore (2010).
For his invaluable services, Randhir Singh was awarded with the OCA Award of Merit in 2005, Merit Award from ANOC in 2006, Olympic Order, Silver in 2014 and Honorary Doctorate, Literature in Sports Science from Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Government of India
Randhir Singh has already been awarded several accolades for his six-decade-long association in sport including the Olympic Order Silver in 2014, the OCA Award of Merit in 2005, the Merit Award from ANOC in 2006, and the Honorary Doctorate, Literature in Sports Science from Lakshmibai National Institute of Physical Education, Government of India. (ANI)
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