Kuwait police seize sports offices as power struggle boils

AFP, KUWAIT CITY: Kuwaiti authorities ordered police to seize the Gulf state's football association and Olympic committee offices, in the latest round of a sporting power struggle.
The action on Sunday heightened a standoff that has seen Kuwait suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and world football's governing body FIFA since October.
The country did not take part in this year's Rio Olympics and will not contest the qualifiers for football's 2018 World Cup.
The move came after the government's sports commission ousted Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah as head of the Kuwait Football Association (KFA) and the national Olympic committee. Fawaz al-Hassawi, who was named as new head of the football association, is the owner of English Championship side Nottingham Forest.
Police seized the offices of the football association but failed to take over the Olympic committee headquarters.
At a press conference after the football offices were seized, Hassawi promised increased prizes in the Kuwaiti championship. However, the ousted head said authorities had used "threat and intimidation" in an official notice demanding that the KFA offices be handed over.

Kuwait police seize sports offices as power struggle boils

AFP, KUWAIT CITY: Kuwaiti authorities ordered police to seize the Gulf states football association and Olympic committee offices, in the latest round of a sporting power struggle. The action on Sunday heightened a standoff that has seen Kuwait suspended by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and world footballs governing body FIFA since October. The country did not take part in this years Rio Olympics and will not contest the qualifiers for footballs 2018 World Cup. The move came after the governments sports commission ousted Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah as head of the Kuwait Football Association (KFA) and the national Olympic committee. Fawaz al-Hassawi, who was named as new head of the football association, is the owner of English Championship side Nottingham Forest. Police seized the offices of the football association but failed to take over the Olympic committee headquarters. At a press conference after the football offices were seized, Hassawi promised increased prizes in the Kuwaiti championship. However, the ousted head said authorities had used threat and intimidation in an official notice demanding that the KFA offices be handed over.