National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan

National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan logo
Country/Region Islamic Republic of Afghanistan
CodeAFG
Created1920
Recognized1936
Continental
Association		OCA
HeadquartersKabul, Afghanistan
PresidentHafizullah Wali Rahimi (president, recognized by IOC)
Ahmadullah Wasiq (acting president, unrecognized by IOC)
Secretary GeneralIrshadulhaq Sadiqi
CEODad Mohammad Paida Akhtari[1]
Websitewww.olympic.af[dead link‍]

National Olympic Committee of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan (Pashto: د افغانستان د اسلامي جمهوریت د المپیک ملي کمیټه, Dari: کمیته ملی المپیک جمهوری اسلامی افغانستان, IOC code: AFG), unrecognizably known as General Directorate of Olympics, Physical Education and Sports (Pashto: د المپیک، فزیکي زده کړو او سپورت عمومي ریاست, Dari: ریاست عمومی المپیک، تربیت بدنی و ورزش) during Taliban takeover, formerly known as Afghanistan National Olympic Committee (Pashto: کمیته ملی المپیک افغانستان, Dari: کمیته ملی المپیک افغانستان), is the National Olympic Committee representing Afghanistan. The Committee is currently in exile and presided by Hafizullah Wali Rahimi, while International Olympic Committee (IOC) has not recognized the Taliban regime's Committee since 2021.

History

Parade of athletes in Chaman-e-Hozori, following the flag of the Afghanistan National Olympic Committee in the 1930s
Flag of the Olympic Committee used in the 30s
Logo of the Olympic Committee from the period of the first Republic (1974–1978)

The Olympic committee was created in 1920, but was recognized in 1936, in time for Afghanistan's Olympic debut at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin, Germany.

The committee counsels Afghanistan’s Olympic movement and organises the participation of athletes in Olympic sports to represent Afghanistan at the Summer Olympics and Summer Youth Olympic, and also the Asian Games. Committee presidents are elected at Extraordinary General Assemblies (EGAs).

Hafizullah Wali Rahimi was elected as president of the committee in 2018. Following the 2021 Taliban takeover, Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen was appointed in his place. However, as of the 2022 Asian Games (held in 2023) and the 2024 Summer Olympics, the Olympic Council of Asia and International Olympic Committee continue to recognize Rahimi as president.[2][3][4][5] Rahimi has been described by the IOC as a president in exile.[6]

In May 2024, the Taliban government, in violation of the Olympic Charter[opinion], merging the National Olympic Committee with the General Directorate of Physical Education and Sport to form the General Directorate of Olympics, Physical Education and Sports, currently headed by Ahmadullah Wasiq[failed verification].[7]

List of presidents

President Term
Mohammad Anwar Jekdalek 2005—2009
Mohammad Zahir Aghbar[8][9][10] 2009—2014
Fahim Hashimy[11][12] 2014—2015
Mahmood Hanif (acting)[13][14] 2015—2017
Mohammad Zahir Aghbar 2017—2018
Hafizullah Wali Rahimi[15][16][17] 2018—2021
Nazar Mohammad Mutmaeen (acting, unrecognized) 2021–2023
Ahmadullah Wasiq (acting, unrecognized) 2023–present

See also

References

  1. ^ "Leadership of the A-NOC Official Olympics.af". Olympic.af.
  2. ^ "Afghanistan Nation Olympic Committee". Olympic.org. Archived from the original on 2024-01-20.
  3. ^ "New IOC human rights strategy brought to the test in negotiations with the Taliban regime".
  4. ^ "OCA » Afghanistan". Archived from the original on 2024-01-20.
  5. ^ "Afghanistan to send gender equal team to the Olympics". 14 June 2024.
  6. ^ "IOC Executive Board receives updates on activities of NOCs".
  7. ^ "Eight Govt Institutions Merged Into Ministries". TOLONews. 15 May 2024. Retrieved 11 September 2024.
  8. ^ "Olympic Council of Asia - Afghanistan National Olympic Committee". Ocasia.org.
  9. ^ "Olympic Council of Asia". Ocasia.org. Archived from the original on 2010-06-13.
  10. ^ "Database for Rahimi - Former Presidents of A-NOC". Afghan-bios.
  11. ^ Devlin, Nik (1 May 2014). "New Afghan NOC President Building Trust Transparency". Around the rings.
  12. ^ Butler, Nick (9 April 2018). "Rahimi elected as president of Afghanistan NOC". Inside the games.
  13. ^ "Database". www.afghan-bios.info. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  14. ^ "Rahimi elected as President of Afghanistan National Olympic Committee". www.insidethegames.biz. 9 April 2018. Archived from the original on 2019-08-27. Retrieved 2021-07-03.
  15. ^ "Leadership of A-NOC". Olympic.af.
  16. ^ Shah, Amir (7 July 2018). "2018 EGA of Afghanistan NOC". Afghanistan Rugby.
  17. ^ Butler, Nick (9 April 2018). "Rahimi elected as president of Afghanistan NOC". Inside the games.