Doha: H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, President of the Qatar Olympic Committee (QOC), received the award for Contribution to the Olympic Movement from the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) at the ANOC Awards 2019 on Thursday.

The sixth edition of the annual awards ceremony took place at the Katara Cultural Village during the XXIV ANOC General Assembly in Doha.

Sheikh Joaan was chosen for the award by an ANOC Jury, comprising of the Presidents of each Continental Association, representatives from the Association of Summer Olympic International Federations (ASOIF) and representatives from the ANOC Athletes' Commission.

Earlier in the day, Sheikh Joaan had also won the ANOC Merit Award.

Award Winners: 

Best athletes of Asian Games 2018
 Ali Al Khorafi, Kuwait, Equestrian (Male) and Chen Yile, People's Republic of China, Gymnastics (Female)

Best athletes of European Games 2019
 Mauro Nespoli, Italy, Archery (Male) and Dina Averina, Russian Federation, Gymnastics (Female)

Best athletes of African Games 2019
 Sydney Siame, Zambia, Athletics (Male) and Erin Gallagher, South Africa, Swimming (Female)

Best athletes of Pan American Games 2019
 Julio César La Cruz, Cuba - Boxing (Male) and Mariana Pajón, Colombia, BMX (Female)

Best athletes of Pacific Games 2019
 Brandon Schuster, Samoa, Swimming (Male) and Toea Wisil, Papua New Guinea, Athletics (Female)

ANOC award for Outstanding Performance
 Katarina Witt, Germany, Figure Skating

ANOC Award for Outstanding Athlete
 Yasuhiro Yamashita - Japan

ANOC award for Outstanding Lifetime Achievement
 Sam Ramsamy South Africa

ANOC award for Contribution to the Olympic Movement

 H E Sheikh Joaan bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani