Kuwait gets IOC ban for government interference

Kuwait has been suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) over Government interference for the second time in the space of five years.

The IOC held a meeting with the country’s government and the Kuwait Olympic Committee on 12th October in an effort to resolve an issue regarding recently amended sports legislation that the international governing body feared could threaten the autonomy of the national Olympic organisation. An agreement did not materialise as a result of the talks.

In a statement the IOC explains “the Olympic Movement in Kuwait has faced a number of issues to preserve its autonomy, in particular due to recently amended sports legislation in Kuwait.”

The IOC added that a 27th October deadline was set at the meeting “to resolve the issues at hand or, at least, freeze the application of the conflictive provisions of the sports legislation until a reasonable and mutually acceptable solution could be found”.

However, the Government of Kuwait did not take any action.

As a result of the ban, the country cannot participate in any Olympic-related activity.

Kuwait was also banned in 2010, but was reinstated before the 2012 London Olympics. The country's football association was also banned by football's governing body FIFA earlier this month over government interference.

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