Kuwait has said it will launch legal action against the International Olympic Committee (IOC) seeking $1bn (€878.3m) in damages over the decision by the global governing body to ban the country from international competitions.
The IOC in October suspended the Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC), accusing the country’s government of interference in its affairs for the second time in five years. The KOC was also issued a ban in 2010, but was reinstated prior to the London 2012 Olympic Games.
The latest suspension is unlikely to be lifted in time for this summer’s Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, which commence on August 5. At present, Kuwaiti athletes would only be able to compete under the Olympic flag.
According to Kuwait state news agency Kuna, Sheikh Salman Al-Humoud Al-Sabah, Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs, said the move to ban the country was an “unjustifiable decision” by the IOC. He said that the country intends to launch a lawsuit through the Swiss courts.
“It is totally unacceptable that Kuwait is treated in this unfair way and is barred from international sports activities without conducting an appropriate investigation,” Sheikh Salman said.
“From the very beginning, Kuwait did its utmost to prevent the IOC Executive Board decision and showed a sincere desire to cooperate, but to no avail. We sent a UN-sponsored delegation to Geneva to explain to the world sports body that the Kuwaiti government intervenes by no means in the sports activities.
“However, we were put in an embarrassing situation in the eyes of the international sports circles and looked as if we were outlaws.”
Sheikh Salman’s comments come despite both the KOC and Kuwait Football Association (KFA), which was also suspended by football’s global governing body Fifa in October of last year, declaring their agreement with the suspensions.
In response, Sheikh Salman said: “It is strange that the KPC and KFA officials, who rose to eminence only through the support of the Kuwait government and who are supposed to represent us, revealed documents only after the IOC Executive Board made their decision.
“There is only positive intervention in the form of support and backing for the sports bodies meant to promote the Olympic Movement. Looking ahead, we stress the need for a common stance and cooperation involving all concerned parties without excluding anybody.”
Credit: Sport Business
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