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Kuwait sports delegation rally support against IOC suspension





Photo: MP Abdullah Maayouf addresses the media during the press conference.

Kuwait sports delegation rally support against IOC suspension

KUWAIT: The National Assembly’s sports and youth affairs committee has announced that a popular sports delegation will begin a tour to Saudi Arabia and other GCC countries to urge their sports associations to support Kuwaiti efforts to lift suspension of sports activities imposed by International Olympic Committee (IOC). MP Abdullah Maayouf, the committee’s head, stressed during a news conference yesterday on the necessity of such efforts exerted on popular, sports and parliamentary levels so as to deliver a message that the Kuwaiti people “are not interested in troubles and difference made by some”.

He said Kuwaitis love peace and sports, expressing his hope that the State of Kuwait wouldn’t be prevented from participating in international sports events. The delegation includes some former soccer players who have been serving their homeland to raise its status, he said, calling for further popular contributions to backing relevant moves in order to lift the IOC’s suspension decision. He said that the delegation will begin its tour to all GCC sports associations, voicing his confidence that these associations will vote in favor of Kuwait.

Drop the suspension

He also called on GCC member states to urge their friendly countries to vote for Kuwait’s demand to drop the suspension. He affirmed that all MPs and athletes are keen on lifting the suspension to help Kuwait take part in all sports events, Maayouf said. He expressed his gratitude to Al-Ghanim for supporting the idea of forming the delegation and harnessing all required capabilities to achieve the national duty. Maayouf referred to the role of His Highness the Premier Sheikh Jaber Al-Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Sabah, Minister of Information, and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah in this regard.

He had earlier affirmed, in a press statement, the importance of such visits ahead of the FIFA’s General Assembly’s meeting to b held on February 26 to discuss the decision of suspension. Meanwhile, MP Abdullah Al-Turaiji, the committee’s rapporteur, said the popular delegation will complete official and popular efforts aimed to drop the “unfair decision of suspension”. He added that about 12 sports clubs of Kuwait sent a letter to FIFA, affirming that the country’s laws are compatible with international charters and the government doesn’t interfere in sports affairs as IOC has claimed.

Interest of the country

Al-Turaiji voiced his hope that efforts of the popular delegation would succeed in achieving its national duty, urging everyone to join such national efforts before holding the meeting of the FIFA’s General Assembly and take into consideration the interest of the country and youth. Meanwhile, Saad Al-Houti, a delegation member, lauded the idea of forming the delegation, indicating that sports in Kuwait has contributed to solving many problems pertaining to global sports affairs. Al-Houti, former captain of Kuwaiti national soccer team, expressed his hope that the delegation would manage to rally support for dropping the decision of suspension, concurrently with celebrations of the National Day and Liberation Day.

Mohammad Karam, a soccer player, called on the government to pay much attention to youth through sports which protects them from violence and negative behaviors. He voiced his gratitude to efforts exerted by the government, National Assembly and sports and youth affairs committee aiming to drop the suspension and help the country resume its sports activities at international events. On October 27, 2015, the Public Authority Sport (PAS) board of directors had rejected the decision by the IOC suspending Kuwait’s Olympic activities, over allegations that the “Kuwait’s local sports laws run counter to the Olympic Charter”.

PAS Deputy Director General Humoud Fulaiteh had said, in an earlier statement, that letters issued by IOC proved the crisis was not due to allegations that local laws contradict the Olympic Charter. He added the IOC letter issued on October 22, 2015, revealed that the IOC suspended sports activities owing to a dispute between the Kuwaiti government and the Olympic movement in Kuwait. The Kuwait government had affirmed during several occasions that local legislations maintain fully independence of the country’s sports bodies, describing the suspension as “unfair”.


 














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