Leadership

H.E. Sheikh Joaan Bin Hamad Al-Thani has served as the President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC) since 2015. His visionary leadership has been pivotal in advancing Qatar’s sports development, fostering international cooperation, and promoting Olympic values both locally and globally.

Sheikh Joaan has held influential positions within the International Olympic Committee (IOC), including active membership in the Olympism365 Commission since 2022 and previously serving on the Public Affairs and Social Development through Sport Commission from 2018 to 2022. He has been a Board Member of the Olympic Refuge Foundation since 2017. Since 2022, Sheikh Joaan has also served as Senior Vice President and Vice President for Asia at the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC), in addition to being a member of the Executive Board of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) until 2024.

Under his leadership, Qatar has successfully bid for and will host the Doha 2030 Asian Games. He played an instrumental role in bringing and organizing several prestigious international events to Qatar, such as the World Aquatics Championships (2024), World Judo Championships (2023), ANOC World Beach Games (2019), World Athletics Championships (2019), FIG Artistic Gymnastics World Championships (2018), and the Men’s Handball World Championship (2015). Additionally, Qatar hosted the 2015 IPC Athletics World Championships and the 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships under his guidance.

Sheikh Joaan’s dedication to sports is evident in his passionate support of equestrian sports. He has chaired the board of Al-Shaqab and led the Al-Shaqab Steering Committee since 2021. His commitment to football is also noteworthy, as he served as the Vice-President of Al-Sadd Sports Club from 2012 to 2015. Furthermore, Sheikh Joaan played a key role in the Supreme Committee for Delivery & Legacy, which was instrumental in organizing the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022. In 2014, he founded Al-Shaqab Racing, further cementing his love for sports, particularly equestrian events.

Sheikh Joaan holds an Executive MBA from HEC Paris in Qatar (2021) and a Bachelor’s degree from the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr in France (2007). His continued academic excellence is reflected in his Post-Graduate degree from the Royal College of Defence Studies in the UK (2015) and a Professional Development Diploma from the London School of Public Relations (2020).

As Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Qatar Leadership Academy, Sheikh Joaan plays a vital role in nurturing leadership qualities among Qatar’s youth. His commitment to the Olympic Movement and sports has earned him various prestigious accolades, including the Contribution to the Olympic Movement Award from ANOC (2019) and the Corporate Social Responsibility Person of the Year Award from Qatar University (2015).