IOC threatens legal action against Kuwait – Letter warns of illegal acts

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LAUSANNE, Nov 3, (AFP): The International Olympic Committee has threatened legal action against a government-appointed Olympic committee in Kuwait that has been suspended by many international federations.

The IOC also said in a letter, obtained by AFP, that it could seek damages over the Kuwait committee’s unauthorised use of the Olympic name.

The IOC, football body FIFA and other federations suspended Kuwait in October last year accusing the Gulf state’s government of taking over the committee.

The IOC said that Sheikh Fahad Jaber Al-Sabah, chairman of the government-run committee, was seeking to “create confusion by presenting yourself publicly as the chairman of the so-called Interim Board of the Kuwait Olympic Committee”.

Reaffirming its condemnation of the government action, the IOC said it “reserves all its rights to take any action against all those, including yourself, who have been involved in any way, directly or indirectly, in the establishment as well as any other activities of the so-called ‘interim committee’ in gross violation of the Olympic Charter.

“This includes all claims for the consequences of any damages resulting from your illegal acts,” said the letter.

During the Rio Olympics, the IOC strongly condemned the Kuwait authorities for using police to seize the headquarters of the national Olympic committee and the Kuwait football association.

The Asian Football Confederation has also told its members not to cooperate with Kuwait.

Kuwait’s athletes had to take part in the Olympics as independents and the Gulf state will not take part in qualifying for the 2018 World Cup.

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