The Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday rejected an appeal filed by Kuwaiti Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah against the decision of the International Olympic Committee not to recognize his election as president of the Olympic Council of Asia in 2023.
With this arrangement, all hurdles have been removed in the way of Indian veteran Randhir Singh continuing as OCA chief following his election to the top post in the General Assembly of the continental Olympic body held here on September 8.
The Switzerland-based CAS, the world’s highest sports tribunal, rejected an appeal filed by Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah, whose elder brother Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah headed the OCA affairs from 1991 to 2022.
“The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) today ruled in favor of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA), chaired by Raja Randhir Singh,” the OCA said in a post on X.
“CAS rejected the appeal filed by Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah on December 13, 2023, stating that the appeal was inadmissible and ordered Sheikh Talal to pay the legal costs of the case.”
Singh was appointed by the IOC as acting head of the OCA in September 2021 after Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah stepped down as president following a Geneva Court ruling that found Kuwait guilty of forgery.
He was banned from working in sports administration for 15 years.
In July 2023, Sheikh Ahmed’s younger brother, Sheikh Talal, was elected president of OCA in elections held in Bangkok.
However, the IOC refused to recognize the election, ruling that Sheikh Ahmed had “undeniable influence” on the OCA polls, which resulted in his younger brother becoming head of the organization.
Sheikh Talal filed an appeal against this IOC decision to CAS, which was dismissed with costs on Monday.
Singh, 77, a former member of the IOC (2001-2014) and former secretary general of the Indian Olympic Association (1987-2012), was also a five-time Olympic shooter.
From 1991 to 2015, he served as Secretary General of the OCA under the government of Sheikh Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Sabah.
Singh is the first Indian elected as OCA president. He has been an honorary member of the IOC since 2014.
