ZURICH: World governing body FIFA has written to the Kuwait Football Association giving a new warning over the “escalation” of a power struggle between the government and the Gulf state’s sports authorities, a spokesperson said yesterday.

FIFA added its voice to the International Olympic Committee’s protest over the government’s seizure of the KFA and Kuwait Olympic Committee offices in a letter sent this week, the spokesperson said. Kuwait has been suspended by the IOC and FIFA since October last year over laws which have increased government powers over Kuwait’s sports bodies. International sports bodies normally reject political interference.

“In the letter, FIFA expresses its concern regarding the recent escalation of events, which led to the ‘dissolution’ of the Kuwait Olympic Committee and the KFA by government authorities,” the spokesperson told AFP. The letter also protested over “the alleged seizure by the police of their offices and property”. In “strongly condemning” the government action, FIFA said that it would continue to recognize the ousted KFA president, Sheikh Talal Fahad Al Sabah who was ousted by the government. — AFP