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IOC suspends Kuwait Olympic Committee

Arab World Materials 5 January 2010 17:36 (UTC +04:00)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Tuesday the suspension of the Kuwait Olympic Committee because of state interference in the organization.
IOC suspends Kuwait Olympic Committee

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Tuesday the suspension of the Kuwait Olympic Committee because of state interference in the organization, DPA reported.

"The IOC Executive Board (EB) has decided to suspend the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Kuwait following political interference by the government in the Kuwaiti sports movement," the IOC said in a statement.

"This decision, taken in accordance with the provisions of the Olympic Charter (Rule 28.9 in particular) to protect the Olympic Movement in Kuwait, took effect as of 1 January 2010."

The IOC has been trying to solve the problem since 2007 and said Kuwait failed to meet a December 31 deadline to amend sports legislation which it said "reveals clear interference by the public authorities in the internal functioning of the countrys sports organizations".

The legislation, the IOC added, was "contrary to the Olympic Movements principle of autonomy and prevents the organizations which make up the Olympic Movement in Kuwait from respecting the principles and rules of the Olympic Charter and of the corresponding International Sports Federations."

The suspension means Kuwaiti athletes and officials are barred from the Olympic Games and Olympic meetings, and Olympic funding will no longer be made available to the Kuwait Olympic Committee.

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