WASHINGTON (AP) – For the second time in five years, Kuwait is being suspended by the IOC for political interference, leaving its athletes in limbo for next year’s Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, the Kuwaiti who heads the global association of national Olympic committees and is a senior IOC member, told The Associated Press that the Gulf country will be sanctioned by the IOC on Tuesday.
The move comes after Kuwait failed to amend its disputed sports legislation by the Oct. 27 deadline set by the International Olympic Committee. FIFA suspended Kuwait’s soccer association over the same issue two weeks ago.
“As a Kuwaiti I am very sad,'” Sheikh Ahmad said in an interview Monday night. “All of us are upset. It’s a very sad story. It’s (due to) human mistakes.”
The IOC is concerned about government meddling in the running of Kuwait’s Olympic committee and national sports federations. The IOC says the new sports law threatens the autonomy of the sports bodies and would mean Kuwait would no longer comply with the Olympic Charter.