AFP, Kuwait City :
A lingering sports crisis in Kuwait that triggered international sanctions is seen as part of a power struggle in the Gulf state involving ruling family members and politicians, analysts say.
Over a year ago, world sports bodies led by the
International Olympic Committee and world football’s FIFA suspended Kuwait over alleged government interference in sports for the second time since 2010.
According to world sports organisations, the suspension was due to legislation issued in 2014 and 2015 allowing the government to interfere in local sports federations and undermine the independence of the sports movement.
As a result, the wealthy emirate was barred from taking part in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
Shooter Fehaid al-Deehani, who won a gold medal, the first ever by a Kuwaiti athlete at the Olympics, had to compete as an independent and was not allowed to carry his country’s flag due to the ban.
However, that could change after Kuwait’s new parliament – – elected last month with opposition MPs taking nearly half the seats-called on the government “to do what is necessary to lift the suspension on sport”.
In a possible sign of progress, Information and Youth Minister Sheikh Salman Humoud Al-Sabah told MPs last week that the government was ready to sit down “with FIFA or any other side provided that does not breach Kuwait’s sovereignty or constitution”.
Two rival groups appear at the heart of the crisis in the emirate that has a population of 4.4 million, only around 30 percent of whom are nationals.
On one side stand Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, one of the most powerful men in world sport, his younger brother Talal, other brothers and supporters who control most of Kuwaiti sports clubs and federations.
Opposing them are the government, some other members of the ruling Al-Sabah family, Marzouk al-Ghanem-a senior member of a wealthy merchant family and speaker of parliament — and other supporters.
A neutral group appears to have emerged in the new parliament pushing for an end to the suspension.
“The problem of sports in Kuwait is that it is being used as a tool in the power struggle,” political analyst Nasser al-Abdali told AFP.
“Groups within the ruling family are using sports in their internal disputes,” said Abdali, who heads the Kuwait Society for the Promotion of Democracy.
Huge public funds pumped into sports could also be a factor, according to Abdali.
The sports authority said last year that the government spent 400 million dinars ($1.3 billion) on sports in the past five years.
A lingering sports crisis in Kuwait that triggered international sanctions is seen as part of a power struggle in the Gulf state involving ruling family members and politicians, analysts say.
Over a year ago, world sports bodies led by the
International Olympic Committee and world football’s FIFA suspended Kuwait over alleged government interference in sports for the second time since 2010.
According to world sports organisations, the suspension was due to legislation issued in 2014 and 2015 allowing the government to interfere in local sports federations and undermine the independence of the sports movement.
As a result, the wealthy emirate was barred from taking part in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and qualification for the 2018 World Cup.
Shooter Fehaid al-Deehani, who won a gold medal, the first ever by a Kuwaiti athlete at the Olympics, had to compete as an independent and was not allowed to carry his country’s flag due to the ban.
However, that could change after Kuwait’s new parliament – – elected last month with opposition MPs taking nearly half the seats-called on the government “to do what is necessary to lift the suspension on sport”.
In a possible sign of progress, Information and Youth Minister Sheikh Salman Humoud Al-Sabah told MPs last week that the government was ready to sit down “with FIFA or any other side provided that does not breach Kuwait’s sovereignty or constitution”.
Two rival groups appear at the heart of the crisis in the emirate that has a population of 4.4 million, only around 30 percent of whom are nationals.
On one side stand Sheikh Ahmad Fahad Al-Sabah, one of the most powerful men in world sport, his younger brother Talal, other brothers and supporters who control most of Kuwaiti sports clubs and federations.
Opposing them are the government, some other members of the ruling Al-Sabah family, Marzouk al-Ghanem-a senior member of a wealthy merchant family and speaker of parliament — and other supporters.
A neutral group appears to have emerged in the new parliament pushing for an end to the suspension.
“The problem of sports in Kuwait is that it is being used as a tool in the power struggle,” political analyst Nasser al-Abdali told AFP.
“Groups within the ruling family are using sports in their internal disputes,” said Abdali, who heads the Kuwait Society for the Promotion of Democracy.
Huge public funds pumped into sports could also be a factor, according to Abdali.
The sports authority said last year that the government spent 400 million dinars ($1.3 billion) on sports in the past five years.
