Sheikh Joaan and President-elect Coventry discussed mutual collaboration, athlete support and institutional development.
Qatar Olympic Committee President Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani met with the International Olympic Committee’s president-elect, Kirsty Coventry, in Kuwait City on Monday.
Sheikh Joaan, who also serves as the Senior Vice President of the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), met with Coventry on the sidelines of the 45th General Assembly of the Olympic Council of Asia in Kuwait.
“Discussions addressed the future of Olympic governance, the evolving role of National Olympic Committees and the importance of ensuring the Olympic Movement continues to respond to global challenges with transparency, inclusion, and athlete-focused leadership,” a statement for QOC said.
In addition to congratulating Coventry, who assumes the leadership in June, Sheikh Joaan expressed full support for her vision and tenure, it added.
Coventry — a two-time Olympic gold-winning swimmer — will become the first woman and the first African to take the presidency in the IOC’s 131-year history. She won the elections held during the General Assembly on March 20 in Greece.
Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani had also taken part in the 144th IOC Session held during the assembly, chaired by the governing body’s outgoing president Dr. Thomas Bach.
The meeting on Monday also touched upon continued collaborations in areas such as institutional development, athlete support and the use of sports to enhance regional collaborations, according to QOC’s statement.
“He [Sheikh Joaan] reaffirmed Qatar’s readiness to contribute meaningfully to this shared mission through strong partnerships and continued engagement,” the statement read.
Sheikh Joaan is currently leading the Qatari delegation in Kuwait for the General Assembly, and also met with the President of the Association of National Olympic Committees of Africa (ANOCA), Mustapha Berraf, to discuss mutual collaborations. A meeting with Iran’s Olympic Committee head, Mahmoud Khorsavi Vafa, was also held on Monday.
The meetings and Qatar’s participation in the assembly in Kuwait come on the back of a flurry of Sheikh Joaan’s state visits to drum up support for the Olympic movement.
He had recently visited Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan as part of his tour across Central Asia, accompanied by World Aquatics President and Asian Olympic Council’s Director General Husain Al-Musallam and Vice President Dr. Thani bin Abdulrahman Al-Kuwari.
“As host of the 21st Asian Games in 2030 and a consistent organiser of global sporting events, Qatar remains committed to advancing the Olympic values through inclusive and sustainable models that reflect the needs of future generations,” the QOC said.
