OCA director general Al-Musallam has stepped aside from his role while an IOC investigation into last month's Presidential election in Bangkok is completed ©Getty Images

The director general of the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) Husain Al-Musallam has stepped aside from his role while an International Olympic Committee (IOC) investigation into a controversial Presidential election at last month’s General Assembly continues.

Al-Musallam was defeated by fellow Kuwaiti Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah at last month’s General Assembly in Bangkok in Thailand, in a vote for the President’s role, however the IOC refused to recognise the result.

The move meant Indian Randhir Singh resumed as the organisation’s Acting President.   

While the IOC investigation takes place, Al-Musallam, who is also the President of World Aquatics, has stepped aside from his director general role at the OCA, with Vinod Tiwari taking up the post on an interim basis.

Al-Musallam has been part of the Olympic Council of Asia since 1982, initially as a Coordination Committee member.

He then became deputy director general and technical director in 1998, before moving to his current post as director general in September 2005.

Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah was elected Olympic Council of Asia President last month, although the IOC has not recognised the result of the election ©Getty Images
Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Ahmad Al Sabah was elected Olympic Council of Asia President last month, although the IOC has not recognised the result of the election ©Getty Images

Sheikh Talal is the brother of Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, who led the OCA for 30 years until 2021, before he was forced to step down after being found guilty of forgery in a court in Geneva and sentenced to at least 13 months in prison.

The IOC refused to recognise the outcome of the election after claiming that Sheikh Ahmad, who had travelled to Bangkok to lobby on behalf of his brother, had an "undeniable impact" on the election result.

The IOC investigation is not expected to be completed until October.

The OCA was due to hold an Extraordinary General Assembly online today, however the OCA confirmed to insidethegames the meeting had been cancelled.

Tiwari did not respond to insidethegames requests for an interview.

He is a former director of international and National Olympic Committee relations with the OCA and last year was elected as President of the International Kabaddi Federation.