Kuala Lumpur: President of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad Al Thani held high-level meetings with Malaysian leaders during a one-day working visit to Malaysia on Monday.
His Majesty Sultan Ibrahim Iskandar, King of Malaysia, received Sheikh Joaan at Astana Bukit Tunku in the presence of His Royal Highness Tunku Ismail bin Sultan Ibrahim, Crown Prince of Johor. Discussions centred on strengthening sports cooperation and advancing the Olympic Movement across Asia.
Sheikh Joaan was also received by His Excellency Dr Anwar Ibrahim, Prime Minister of Malaysia, where both sides explored prospects for deeper sports partnerships and expanded joint cooperation.
Dr Norza Zakaria, President of the Malaysian Olympic Council and OCA Vice President for Southeast Asia, warmly welcomed Sheikh Joaan. During the meeting, Sheikh Joaan reaffirmed the OCA’s continued support for the Olympic Movement in Malaysia, praising the leadership’s contributions to sports development. He encouraged Malaysia to bid for future OCA events, including the Asian Games, with full governmental backing.
تشرفت بلقاء السلطان إبراهيم اسكندر ملك ماليزيا، وصاحب السمو الملكي تونكو إسماعيل بن سلطان إبراهيم الوصي على ولاية جوهور وولي عهد الولاية، ودولة الدكتور أنور إبراهيم رئيس الوزراء، وأثمّن عاليا هذه الاستضافة الكريمة والدعم الذي تقدمه مملكة ماليزيا الاتحادية لتعزيز مسيرة المجلس… pic.twitter.com/yD3IK5TM82
— جوعان بن حمد (@JoaanBinHamad) April 20, 2026
At the conclusion of the visit, Sheikh Joaan departed for Sanya, China, where he will chair the 109th OCA Executive Board Meeting on Tuesday, April 21, and officially open the 6th Asian Beach Games “Sanya 2026” on Wednesday, April 22.
Dr Norza Zakaria, who will attend both events, received a gracious invitation from Sheikh Joaan to travel with him on his private flight.
Dr Norza stated: “I look forward to welcoming His Excellency Sheikh Joaan back to Malaysia in the near future to further strengthen our cooperation within the Olympic Movement across Asia.”
He added that he has formally invited Sheikh Joaan to attend the 34th Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), which Malaysia will host in 2027.
Director General of the OCA Husain Al-Musallam accompanied Sheikh Joaan during the visit.
The engagements underscore the growing partnership between the OCA and Malaysia in promoting sports excellence and regional collaboration.
