Committee ready for talks with Kuwait, says IOC’s Bach – Ronaldinho, Figo arrive as FIFA stops Gerrard, Pirlo from playing game
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BUDAPEST, Dec 15, (Agencies): The Kuwaiti government must “come to the table” and resolve the sports law which has caused the country to be banned from the International Olympic Committee, IOC president Thomas Bach said on Tuesday. Kuwait was suspended in October for the second time in five years over government interference in the country’s Olympic Committee.
The sports ministry has also ordered the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) to vacate its headquarters in Kuwait by April 2016. The head of the OCA is Kuwaiti Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, an influential IOC member.
Kuwaiti media reported on Saturday that a court had handed out a six-month suspended prison sentence to Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, a senior member of the ruling family and a powerbroker in international sport, for quoting remarks by the country’s ruler without permission.
Bach, attending a meeting to celebrate the 120th anniversary of the Hungarian Olympic Committee, said the prison sentence was a separate issue from the sports law. “This is justice in Kuwait, it’s nothing to do with the sports law or sport,” Bach told a news conference.
“The IOC will respect the law of a sovereign country.” But he said the law which led to Kuwait’s ban needed to be changed. “We will insist on our worry that the sports law is in compliance. I think this is also in the interest of the Kuwait authorities and the Kuwaiti athletes to ensure this compliance and not forcing their other federations to escalate the issue.
“They have to come to the table,” Bach said. “The IOC has always made it clear it is ready to address the various stipulations of the law that need to be changed.”
Meanwhile, the majority of football stars participating in the opening festival of Sheikh Jaber International Sports Stadium are expected to arrive Wednesday. Among the first to arrive are the Brazilian football icon Ronaldinho and the Portuguese football legend Luis Figo.
Sources close to the organizing committee of the event, which is scheduled to take place coming Friday Dec 18, said the Brazilian and Portuguese football legends did not hesitate to accept invitation to participate in the festival—likewise other international participants who are due to arrive before Friday.
The international football stars have been preparing for the match in order to present the best of their skill to entertain the huge crowd that will be present at the opening festival.
The administration and technical crew of Kuwait all-stars sought assistance from two players of Qadisiya and Arabi sports clubs, Talal Al-Amer and Muhammad Fureih, to support Kuwait’s all-star line-up playing against the international all-stars on Friday.
The two players were picked due to least votes they received from the public through which only 18 Kuwait all-star players were selected under the national coach Muhammad Ibrahim.
In his role, team manager of Kuwait all-stars Adel Al-Oqla revealed the official gathering and first training session of the players will take place Thursday, and the players have affirmed readiness to be present at the splendid occasion sponsored by HH the Amir of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad.
In a related story, Steven Gerrard, Andrea Pirlo and Xavi Hernandez have been stopped from playing in a friendly in Kuwait because of the Gulf nation’s ban from international soccer.
Kuwait was suspended by FIFA in October because of government interference, a case which threatens the country’s place in World Cup qualifying. The ban from international competitions extends to active players registered with clubs from taking part in the Football Champions Tour friendly in Kuwait on Friday against a local all-star team.
Organizers said Pirlo and Gerrard, who play in Major League Soccer, as well as Qatar-based Xavi are no longer able to participate. “Such principle is, of course, also to be followed at all sporting levels involving football in the territory of the state of Kuwait,” FIFA acting secretary general Markus Kattner wrote to member associations last week.
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