Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Hmoud Al-Sabah

KUWAIT: Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Sheikh Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah affirmed that Kuwait’s sports laws are in consistency with the provisions of the Olympic Charter and the international regulations. “The International Olympic Committee is demanded to prove the contrary (in order to justify the recent FIFA decision to bar Kuwait from international football events); we will ask them (the IOC) when we meet in Kuwait,” the minister told reporters Sunday night.

He made the comments after a dinner banquet hosted by National Assembly Speaker Marzouq Al- Ghanim which gathered in the presence of His Highness the Prime Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak Al- Hamad Al-Sabah. “The State of Kuwait is keen on cooperation and mutual respect with the IOC but the policy of setting conditions and deadlines and issuing three threats for a sovereign state is totally unacceptable,” Sheikh Salman made clear. He pointed out that the dignity of Kuwait is above all considerations, saying that “the documents, not just statements, affirm the rightness of our cause.” Sheikh Salman noted that the Kuwaiti government spared no effort over long years in providing the necessary facilities and support for the sports movement, citing as evidence the ability of Kuwaiti sportspeople to reach top places at international events.

He added that Kuwait invited the IOC to a meeting here to discuss the reservations raised during the recent meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland, between representatives of the ICO and Kuwait Olympic Committee. “The Kuwaiti delegation to the Lausanne meeting received a note including the ICO observations about suspected inconsistency of the Kuwaiti sports laws with the Olympic Charter and claims of interference in the sports affairs,” he said, adding that Kuwait handed the IOC a complete note to explain its right stance. The minister expressed hope that the IOC will accept the Kuwaiti invitation and send a delegation to discuss the matter in detail. —KUNA