Sports authority may dissolve Kuwait Olympic Committee – Law defies ban

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KUWAIT CITY, Aug 21, (Agencies): The sports authority at the Ministry of Youth Affairs is expected to issue a decision tomorrow to dissolve the Kuwait Olympic Committee and the Football Association and assign temporary committees to manage the sports affairs for a period between six months to two years at the least, reports Al-Qabas daily.

According to sources, the rest of the federations which do not comply with the laws shall also be dissolved and fresh elections held to elect office-bearers on a one-man one-vote basis.

Minister of Information, Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Hamoud is expected to issue the decision today in spite of attempts exerted by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and rejecting the new Kuwait sports law threatening to impose ban on Kuwaiti sport.

The International Olympic Committee on Friday accused Kuwait’s government of “aggravating” the tensions that led to the country’s ban from the Rio Olympics. New and proposed laws on state controls over sporting bodies have led the IOC and world football body FIFA to suspend Kuwait since last October.

The Kuwait government has in turn condemned the IOC and recently sought $1 billion in damages in a Swiss court, which was rejected. The IOC said in a letter to the Kuwait government, which was seen by AFP, that a new law passed in June tightens state control over sports bodies, rather than loosening it.

The letter said that “contrary to what has been suggested in a number of public statements … (the law) increases signifi cantly the power of the government authorities to interfere with the internal operations” of sports organisations

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