KUWAIT: Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Olympic Shooting Complex will see the launch of the 13th Asian Shooting Championship, which qualifies the winners to Brazil 2016 summer Olympics, with the participation of 1200 shooters representing 36 countries. Delegations continued to arrive yesterday to participate in the championship which will witness hot competition to get the qualifying quotas for the Olympics, as the Higher Organizing Committee is holding the right of having the qualifying quotas and rejected the International Olympic Committee’s decision to remove the qualifying status from the championship. Official competitions will start tomorrow at the Shooting Complex which witnessed the presence of large number of delegations, who arrived early to prepare well.

Meanwhile the HOC completed all preparations, as it intensified the work with all committee despite all foreign pressures it faces to disrupt this major event, which Kuwait has been getting ready for four years, when Kuwait Shooting sports club was selected to organize it.

Meanwhile Secretary General of the Arab and Kuwait Shooting Federations Obaid Al-Osaimi said everybody be it KSF or participating federations reject the latest decision by the IOC which does not recognize the qualification to Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympics, adding that the whole issue reflects the extent of IOC’s intentions towards Kuwait sports, and proves that there are those who are messing with the name and future of Kuwait sports.

Al-Osaimi said that all 1200 shooters and officials agree on taking measures to face such practices from IOC or ISSF. Al-Osaimi said KSF will go ahead with its legal steps to safeguard its rights, be it against IOC officials and ISSF, or any official who seek to stop the activities of Kuwait Shooting, through filing court cases. Al-Osaimi said Kuwait’s decision towards the sports activities suspension by the IOC, adding that KSF decided not to participate in Rio de Janeiro 2016, despite the qualification of two Kuwait shooters Ahmad Al-Afasi and Khalid Al- Mudhaf.

In case the IOC does not remove its suspension of Kuwait sports activity, it will not participate under the Olympic flag in any way, shape or form. Al-Osaimi asked all local athletes to be united to face the organized campaign against Kuwait’s athletes and sports, adding that Kuwait can defend itself as required.

By Abdellatif Sharaa