The meeting is in progress.

KUWAIT CITY, Aug 4: The Board of Directors of the Kuwait Handball Association voted by majority to suspend President Fouad Al-Baloushi from his duties during a meeting held recently at the association’s headquarters in Daiya. Vice President Shabib Al-Hajri was granted presidential authority until the matter is presented to the association’s upcoming general assembly.

Eight out of eleven board members attended the meeting, while Al-Baloushi was absent. Vice President Al-Hajri and board member Khaled Abdulquddus were also not present, reportedly due to travel commitments.

The decision follows repeated absences by Al-Baloushi from board meetings without a valid excuse, which have disrupted the federation’s workflow and delayed key decisions.

The upcoming general assembly is expected to ratify the suspension and formally remove Al-Baloushi from the board. A separate assembly will then be held to elect a new president from among candidates nominated by the clubs of Kazma, Al-Qurain, Yarmouk, Qadsia, Arabi, and Shabab to serve out the current board’s term until 2027.

Tensions within the board have escalated in recent months, largely centered around disagreements on the number of foreign professional players allowed per team. A majority of board members support allowing two professionals on the court with a third on the bench, while Al-Baloushi insists the third should remain off the match sheet entirely and sit in the stands.

Earlier, Secretary-General Qaed Al-Adwani expressed frustration at the president's repeated absences, noting that it obstructs the association’s activities and delays its progress.

Meanwhile, Kuwait's Under-19 handball team departed today for Cairo to participate in the 11th edition of the IHF Men’s Youth World Championship, which runs from August 5 to 16.

The team recently concluded a successful overseas training camp in Croatia and Slovenia, where they played seven friendly matches against teams including Croatia, Kosovo, and Slovenia. Head coach Heine Jensen of Denmark used the camp to focus on tactical drills and finalize the tournament roster.

Kuwait will compete in Group A alongside Sweden, Portugal, and Austria.

This year's championship features 32 teams split into eight groups. Group B includes Hungary, Switzerland, Morocco, and Kosovo; Group C includes Serbia, Spain, Croatia, and Algeria; Group D features Iceland, Brazil, Guinea, and Saudi Arabia; Group E includes Germany, Slovenia, Uruguay, and the Faroe Islands; Group F comprises Norway, France, Argentina, and Mexico; Group G brings together Egypt, Japan, South Korea, and Bahrain; and Group H features Denmark, Tunisia, Czech Republic, and the USA.

This is only the second time in the tournament’s history that 32 teams are participating, following the 2023 edition in Croatia.

The association has also approved the calendar for the upcoming handball season. The Premier League will kick off on September 2, while the First Division begins on September 4. The youth league is set to start on November 5, followed by the junior league on November 4, the cadets’ league on September 20, and the kids’ league on September 19.

By Khaled Al-Enezi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff