OJA's Adil elected to Executive Office of Arab Sports Press Association

DOHA, DEC 18
The Oman Journalists Association (OJA) and member of Sports media Committee, Adil bin Ibrahim al Balushi, was elected as a member of the Executive Office of the Arab Sports Press Association (ASPA) after securing the highest number of votes among four candidates, during the Association’s General Assembly meetings which took place recently in Doha as part of media activities during Fifa Arab Cup event.
Al Balushi received 16 votes out of 18, with two ballots invalidated, reflecting strong confidence from member states in his contribution to Arab sports media. During the same meeting, Dr Turki al Awad of Saudi Arabia was elected Chairman of the Arab Sports Press Association by acclamation, following the withdrawal of Tunisian candidate Adnan Mourad prior to the assembly.
Ali Issa of Qatar was appointed Vice-Chairman for Asia, while Hassan Khalafallah of Egypt assumed the role of Vice-Chairman for Africa. The Executive Office also included three additional vice- chairmen including Dr Hadi Abdullah (Iraq), Badr Eddine al Idrissi (Morocco) and Yasser Ayes (Sudan).
The General Assembly was convened after achieving the required quorum with the participation of 18 Arab countries. Mohammed Hajji, Vice-Chairman of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), delivered a speech on behalf of Qatar’s Sports Media Committee, thanking delegates for their attendance and praising the ASPA’s role in advancing Arab sports media in previous terms. He emphasised that the upcoming phase would bring renewed momentum, greater unity, and alignment with global media developments, while wishing success to Arab teams participating in the 2026 Fifa World Cup.
In his address, newly elected ASPA chairman Dr Turki al Awad expressed his appreciation to Qatar and the Qatari Sports Media Committee for their warm hospitality. He commended the strong participation of Arab countries and stressed that the next phase must be defined by unity, loyalty and collective efforts to achieve the Union’s strategic goals.
The Assembly approved the minutes of the previous meeting and endorsed the administrative and financial reports from the 2019 General Assembly. An election committee was then appointed to oversee the Executive Office elections, which resulted in the selection of Dr Hadi Abdullah (Iraq), Badr Eddine al Idrissi (Morocco), Dr Mohamed Walad al Hassan (Mauritania), Mazen al Rais (Syria), Adil al Balushi (Oman), Issa Sharida (Bahrain), Yasser Ayes (Sudan) and Rashid Nassar (Lebanon). Palestine’s nominee, Montaser Adkidak, joined the Board by acclamation in accordance with the Union’s statutes granting Palestine a permanent seat.
On the sidelines of the General Assembly, the Union honoured Mohammed Jameel Abdulqader, former ASPA Chairman, in recognition of his distinguished career and longstanding contributions to Arab sports journalism.
The Oman Journalists Association delegation to the meeting was headed by Salim bin Hamad al Jahouri, Vice-Chairman of the Association’s Board and Chairman of the Sports Media Committee, with the participation of Adil bin Ibrahim al Balushi, member of the Association and the Sports Media Committee.