KFA Chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi

KUWAIT: Kuwait Football Association (KFA) Chairman Fawaz Al-Hasawi said yesterday that the focus during the next phase will be on developing local activity and address all the flaws as a first step to work on lifting the suspension imposed on the Kuwaiti sports.

Hasawi announced in a statement that the first step is to cancel the reserve league that is currently in place and to adopt the 'in and out' system in the premier league as of the next season consisting of premier and first.

He continued, "We will work to strengthen the league and increase the level of its performance by increasing and diversifying bonuses for the sake of increasing competition between the clubs and contribute to raising the general technical level."

"We will also work to implement privatization in the clubs which will be the first step to lift the suspension and develop sports image sought by all Kuwaiti athletes," he added. Hasawi stressed the need to benefit from the privatization as desired and as is the case in various regional, continental and global countries in order to achieve the desired renaissance of the game and restore its glory in various forums.

He expressed confidence in the capabilities of all employees of the Association to achieve the first step in "our quest towards lifting the suspension imposed on the Kuwaiti sports and restore its past glories in all forums."

The Public Authority for Sports (PAS) had earlier decided to dissolve the Kuwait Football Association and the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee, assigning two interim commissions-alluding the measure to financial irregularities.

Improving sports

Meanwhile, Sheikh Fahad Jaber Al-Ali Al-Sabah, Chairman of an interim committee tasked with running Kuwait National Olympic Committee (NOC), said Saturday the committee sought primarily to see Kuwaiti flags hoisted in international competitions. Committee members will exert efforts to improve sport in Kuwait at local, regional and international levels, Sheikh Fahad said in a statement. He said their aim was to serve Kuwaiti youth "because they are the future of the country."

Sheikh Fahad said the committee was keen creating suitable environment for the improvement of sport in Kuwait, thus reflecting interest of His Highness the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, His Highness the Crown Prince Sheikh Nawaf Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al-Hamad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah in youth.

Sheikh Fahad expressed gratitude for the political leadership, and Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Al-Sabah for assigning him to chair the NOC. Sheikh Salman, who Board Chairman of the Public Authority for Sport (PAS), announced three days ago the dissolution of NOC and appointed Sheikh Fahad to chair an interim committee for six months, and to represent Kuwait locally and abroad. - KUNA