October 19 – Kuwait, home to Asia’s most influential sports power broker Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, has been banned from international football because of government interference in the running of the sport domestically.
“The suspension will be lifted only when the Kuwait Football Assocation (KFA) and its members (the clubs) are able to carry out their activities and obligations independently,” said FIFA in a statement.
The ramifications could be severe with Kuwait expelled from the World Cup qualifying competition if the situation is not resolved before their next game away to Myanmar on November 17. They are second in Group G in the second round of the Asian qualifying tournament.
Kuwait have twice previously been banned for government interference, in 2007 and 2008, and the fresh sanction is an embarrassing political blow to Sheikh Ahmad, recently elected to FIFA’s executive committee who is regarded as the prime mover behind Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim Al Khalifa’s imminent announcement that he has decided to run for FIFA president.
“No team from Kuwait of any sort (including clubs) can have any international sporting contact and neither the KFA nor any of its members or officials can benefit from any development programme, course or training from FIFA or the AFC,” said FIFA who in September had given Kuwait until October 15 to make changes to its sports law.
Sheikh Ahmad, as well as being a member of the FIFA exco and its much-touted Reform Committee, is president of the Olympic Council of Asia and the Association of National Olympic Committees.
The most immediate effect of the ban was the removal from the Asian Cup of two Kuwait clubs from the semi-finals. A statement from the Asian Football Confederation said: “Following the decision by FIFA to suspend the Kuwait Football Association and its members from all football activities, Kuwait SC and Qadsia SC are no longer eligible to compete in the AFC Cup semi-finals.”
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