The Qatar Football Association (QFA) has taken an initiative to convince FIFA about a new sports law proposed by the Kuwaiti government in its bid to get the international ban on the country revoked.
It may be recalled that FIFA had banned Kuwait from international football on October 15, 2015, citing government interference in the running of the game.
“The suspension will be lifted only when the Kuwait Football Association (KFA) and its members (the clubs) are able to carry out their activities and obligations independently,” FIFA had said in a statement at the time.
It is reliably learnt that FIFA’s Head of Governance Nodar Akhalkatsi, who is in Doha on the invitation of the QFA, held talks with the Kuwaiti officials on the sidelines of Monday’s draw ceremony for Gulf Cup, which is to be held in Qatar from December 22 to January 8, 2018.
Football officials from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain did not attend the draw while those from Iraq, Oman, Yemen and Qatar were present.
Qatar, Bahrain, Iraq and Yemen have been drawn in Group A, with Saudi Arabia, Oman and the UAE in Group B. Kuwait will join Group B if their FIFA suspension is lifted in time.
The Kuwaiti officials have reportedly given Akhalkatsi a draft of their country’s new sports law and assured him there was no apprehension of any kind of governmental interference in future. This should convince FIFA and other international sports federations, including the International Olympic Committee (IOC), who have suspended Kuwait in October 2015 over alleged government meddling in sports.
It is learnt that the Kuwait sports ministry has appreciated Qatar’s efforts to get the suspension revoked.
