President of the Association of National Olympic Committees Sheikh Ahmad al-Sabah is reportedly stepping down under pressure from the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

Ahmad, who was scheduled to preside over the annual meeting of the 206-member group in Tokyo this week, will stand down from the presidency on an interim basis, according to sources in Tokyo who wished not to be named.

The IOC Executive Board meeting on Monday afternoon heard more about the criminal charges Sheikh Ahmad is facing in Switzerland.

The IOC Ethics Commission noted that the violation of a criminal law by the ANOC chief represented serious damage to the IOC’s reputation.

The Sheikh, who has been president of ANOC since 2012 and an IOC Member since 1992, faced charges that came out of power struggles in Kuwait. He has denied the charges and is preparing for a trial in March 2019.