Doha: The General Assembly of the Arab Sports Press Union's General Assembly has elected Dr. Turki Al Awad from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia as President of the Union by acclamation. Qatari journalist Ali Issa was chosen as Vice President for Asia for the upcoming four-year term. This election occurred during the General Assembly meeting of the Arab Union, held in Doha on the sidelines of the FIFA Arab Cup Qatar 2025.
According to Qatar News Agency, the meeting was marked by camaraderie, consensus, and fair competition among representatives of Arab sports journalism. In addition to Al Awad's election, Dr. Hadi Abdullah and Badr Al Din Al Idrisi were selected as Vice Presidents of the Arab Sports Press Union. Ali Issa was elected Vice President for Asia, and Hassan Khalafallah from Egypt was elected Vice President for Africa.
The Executive Committee's remaining members include Mohamed Ould El Hassan from Mauritania, Mazen Al Rayes from Syria, Rashid Nassar from Lebanon, Adel Al Balushi from Oman, Issa Shuraida from Bahrain, and Yasser Ayes from Sudan. The Palestinian candidate, Montaser Adkeidik, was approved by acclamation, as per the Union's statutes, which ensure a permanent seat for Palestine without nominations.
In a statement to QNA, Abdullah Mohammed Al Marri, a member of the Sports Media Committee in Qatar, expressed delight at Qatar's hosting of the Arab Sports Press Union meeting. He noted the Committee's efforts to strengthen cooperation among Arab nations in the media field. Al Marri also highlighted the honoring of the former President of the Arab Sports Press Union, Mohammed Jamil Abdul Qader, recognizing his long service to Arab sports media.
Dr. Turki Al Awad, the newly elected President, conveyed that the Executive Office will focus on empowering young media professionals and advancing sports media in the region during their four-year term. Al Awad expressed gratitude to Qatar for hosting the meetings and acknowledged the success of the Arab Cup tournament.
The meetings included a tribute from the Qatari Sports Media Committee to the Union's former president, Jordanian journalist Mohammed Jamil Abdul Qader, honoring his distinguished career and significant contributions to the Arab Sports Press Union over more than three decades.