Sayyid Azzan elected as new chairman of OOC
MUSCAT, APRIL 22
The general assembly members of Oman Olympic Committee (OOC) elected HH Sayyid Azzan bin Qais al Said as the new Chairman of OOC for the upcoming term (2024-2028). Dr Abdullah bin Khamis Ambusaidi, Under-Secretary of the Ministry of Education for Education and Chairman of Oman School Sports Association (OSSA), was elected as Vice-Chairman.
The General Assembly regular meeting of OOC took place on Tuesday in presence of 17 representatives of sporting associations and committees and sports figures. The newly elected chairman of OOC replaced Shaikh Khalid al Zubair, who ended his journey after two terms. Taha Sulaiman al Kishry and Abdullah Mohammed Bamkhalaf were elected as members of OOC board members due to their international sporting positions.
Representative of OSSA, Yousef Awad Bait Saleem, was elected as board member in non-Olympic sports association seat while Khalifa bin Hamed al Jabri will represent athletes after being elected by the Oman Athletes Committee and Sayyidah Sana bint Hamed al Busaidiyah was selected as Chairperson of Oman Women's Sports and Gender Equality Committee.
The General Assembly members elected the former chairman of Oman Volleyball Association Bader bin Ali al Rawas and Oman Club vice-chairman Jihad bin Abdullah al Shaikh to fill the two seats allocated to the category of sports personalities while Fahad al Raisi was not elected as he received less votes among the three candidates.
Six more board members were elected out of nine nominated members. Dr Marwan bin Juma al Jumaa, Chairman of Oman Hockey Association (15 votes), Eng Khalfan bin Saleh al Naabi, Chairman of Oman Basketball Association (13 votes), Moosa bin Khamis al Balushi, Chairman of Oman Handball Association (13), Qais bin Saud al Zakwani, representative of Oman Aquatics Association (12 votes), Eng Ibrahim bin Abdullah al Maqbali, Chairman of Oman Volleyball Association (12 votes) and Said bin Mohammed al Hajri, Chairman of Oman Athletics Association (11 votes). The other three representatives including representative of Oman Football Association, Qutaiba bin al Ghilani, Faiz Mohammad Riaz, Vice-Chairman of Oman Golf Association and Saif al Rushedi, Chairman of Oman Cycling Association, were not elected due to their less votes.
The meeting's agenda featured accepting the minutes from the Extraordinary General Assembly which took place on February 16, 2025, besides reviewing the previous year's annual report and highlighting key administrative and technical achievements. Then, the members had an overview of the proposed activity plan for 2025 and there were discussions of the final accounts for the past year, the auditor's report, and the estimated budget for the current year.
COOPERATION AND SUPPORT
In his remarks after being elected as the OOC chairman, HH Sayyid Azzan bin Qais al Said said that it is a great honour to receive the esteemed trust to serve as chairman of OOC for the 2024–2028 term. 'I would like to express my sincere gratitude and deep appreciation for this confidence. I look forward to your cooperation and support in elevating the Committee's performance to meet your aspirations — and those of the athletes of our beloved homeland, the Sultanate of Oman,' he said.
'What has been achieved over the past years in terms of organisational and technical progress, as well as the establishment of firm foundations, serves as an inspiration for us all to continue building and advancing the Committee's work towards greater integration and effectiveness — ultimately serving Omani sports and enhancing its presence regionally and internationally,' he said.
'Names may change and faces may differ but the goal remains the same, and the destination unchanged. Our ambitions are renewed, carried by new energy, continuing the journey of those before us, holding the same torch and striving for greater horizons and deeper service to Omani sports,' he added.
'I would also like to extend my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Shaikh Khalid bin Mohammed al Zubair and the previous board members for their sincere efforts and the institutional, organisational, and technical legacy they have left behind — a legacy that will continue to motivate us to move forward on the same path and develop what they began with a spirit of appreciation and teamwork,' he said.
'We will work in close coordination with the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Youth under the leadership of HH Sayyid Theyazin bin Haitham al Said, Minister of Culture, Sports and Youth, guided by his ongoing support for this sector and his generous directives, which we consider a compass for our success. As we begin this new chapter together, we draw inspiration from the vision of His Majesty Sultan Haitham bin Tarik — may Allah protect him — in making sports a cornerstone of Oman's renewed renaissance, and a fundamental pillar of empowerment, progress, and sustainable development,' he concluded.
FIRST BOARD MEETING
Following the election, the board directors of OOC held their first meeting on Tuesday headed by HH Sayyid Azzan bin Qais al Said in presence of all members. During the meeting, Abdullah bin Mohammed Bamakhalef was appointed as Secretary-General of the Committee while Qais bin Saud al Zakwani was appointed as Treasurer.
The formation of the Executive committee of OOC was also approved and it is chaired by HH Sayyid Azzan bin Qais al Said, and accompanied by the following members: Abdullah bin Mohammed Bamakhalef, Qais bin Saud al Zakwani and Dr Marwan bin Juma al Juma.
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