Kuwaiti clubs confident as FIFA eyes lifting ban

Kuwait’s starting eleven pose for a group picture prior to their AFC qualifying football match for the 2018 FIFA World Cup between Kuwait and Lebanon on October 13, 2015 at the Kuwait Sports Club Stadium in Kuwait City. AFP PHOTO / YASSER AL-ZAYYAT / AFP PHOTO / YASSER AL-ZAYYAT

A delegation from Kuwaiti clubs lobbying for the FIFA Congress to lift a suspension of the nation’s football association is confident of victory ahead of Friday’s vote in Mexico City.

“So far, we have received a lot of support from the FIFA family and we are very optimistic,” said Saad Al-Hootie, captain of the Kuwait team that reached the 1982 World Cup in Spain. “It’s time to let our players play.”

FIFA suspended the Kuwait Football Association (KFA) last October after finding the government had interfered in the group’s affairs, leading to three World Cup qualifying match forfeits.

“Kuwait football is suffering,” Al-Hootie said. “Clubs from all leagues, players from all levels and the development system have been completely blocked from any activity for more than half a year now. The most frustrating part in all of this is that our FA is not doing anything to have the suspension lifted. This is why we are in Mexico City this week, to defend the future of football in our country.”

Abdullah Al-Maayouf, a Kuwait national assembly member who was also on the World Cup side from 34 years ago, said personal agendas and politics played a role in the ban.

“The process that led to our suspension was unclear, unfair and not worthy of the new FIFA administration,” Al-Maayouf said. “No proper legal investigation was made by FIFA before the suspension was imposed.”

He cited no suspensions for Kuwait’s cycling, athletics or badminton governing bodies as a sign the ban was wrongly imposed.

“This makes us believe something else is behind our suspension in FIFA because only sports organizations where certain people from Kuwait have a lot of influence, such as FIFA and the IOC, have suspended Kuwait. We believe these international sport leaders from Kuwait pushed for the suspension in order to drive their personal political agendas.”

Hasan Abu Al-Hasan, secretary general of Qadsia sports club, said Al-Maayouf was among those lawmakers whose support for the new laws affecting the KFA prompted the suspension.

“It was not an individual who caused the suspension,” he said. “We hope now the law will be amended in accordance with the FIFA statutes so the KFA can be reinstated.”

A statement from KFA general secretary Saho Al Saho showed how the speaking out by those making the emotional pitch to FIFA members had impacted Kuwait’s top football officials.

“The KFA would like to make it clear that only members of its official delegation… are responsible for speaking on behalf of Kuwait Football Association here at the FIFA Congress in Mexico,” Al Saho said.

“The KFA has noted that some individuals from outside the football family have been speaking and sending phone messages to the media and to FIFA members, claiming to represent Kuwait’s delegation and football family. These individuals do not have the authority to do so and the KFA is not responsible for, and does not support, their behavior or views.”