Kuwait to amend law to end IOC-FIFA led suspension

KUWAIT CITY: The Kuwaiti government on Monday agreed to amend controversial sport legislation in a bid to end a 14-month international suspension led by the IOC and FIFA, lawmakers said.

The Gulf state’s public sports authority pledged in a letter to parliament that it will issue within six months a new law that conforms with the international sports charter, MP Abdulwahab Al-Babtain said.

The authority also pledged to invite the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and world football’s FIFA to Kuwait to ensure the new legislation is agreed by all parties, Babtain said on his Twitter account.

In October 2015, world sports bodies led by the IOC and FIFA suspended Kuwait for the second time since 2010 over alleged government interference in sports.

The suspension was due to legislation issued in the past few years allowing the government to interfere in local sports federations and undermine their independence.

As a result, the wealthy emirate was barred from taking part in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and qualification for the 2018 World Cup.

The opposition, which won nearly half of the 50 seats in last month’s parliamentary elections, pressed the government to rectify bills that violate international sports laws.

Analysts have said the sports crisis in Kuwait was in part the result of a political struggle involving senior ruling family members and politicians.