Dr Robin Mitchell has been appointed as the new chairman for Olympic Solidarity.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) representative and Oceania National Olympic Committee (ONOC) president  replaces Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah who was asked to step aside in the wake of forgery allegations.

The role of an Olympic Solidarity is to distribute US$500 million worldwide to support sports development in Olympic member countries.

The appointment was announced by IOC president Thomas Bach.

The IOC Ethics Commission announced the news in a statement this month, noting that Al-Sabah made a “decision to self-suspend” from his positions as an IOC member and as the chair of the Olympic Solidarity Commission. He was also the president of the Association National Olympic Committee and was running unopposed for re-election.

The 55-year-old Kuwaiti politician has been the president of the Olympic Council of Asia, and will remain in that role.

Al-Sabah has been accused of creating fake videos that showed corruption among two Kuwaiti government officials.

The IOC Ethics Committee statement only refers to the allegations against Al-Sabah as “forgery.”

Inside the Games reports that IOC president Bach personally asked Al-Sabah to step aside.

Meanwhile, Al-Sabah will face a hearing on January 1, 2019.  Dr Mitchell of Fiji is expected to be elected as ANOC vice-president and will take over temporary leadership of the organization.

Edited by Osea Bola

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