Police seized control of the KOC and KFA yesterday after the organisations were dissolved ©Getty Images

Kuwait's Sheikh Talal Al Fahad has requested the Government's Public Sports Authority (PSA) refer him and two board members of the National Olympic Committee (KOC) and Football Association (KFA) to public prosecutors to meet charges of alleged financial violations.

His call follows the dissolution of both the KOC and KFA - two organisations Al Fahad presided over - by the PSA.

Police in Kuwait reportedly took control of the KOC and KFA by force yesterday.

This move followed the introduction of controversial sports laws, which granted the Government power to take over all sports bodies and National Federations, as well as being able to control decisions including appointments and financial matters.

The PSA's decision to dissolve the organisations was taken at a meeting chaired by the Minister of State for Youth Affairs, Sheikh Salman Sabah Al-Salem Al-Homud Al-Sabah.

PSA deputy general director Hmoud Flaiteh told KUNA that the reason behind the decision was because both the NOC and Football Association refused to co-operate to address the supposed financial issues.

Al Fahad has stated he has confidence in his position, and he has asked to be referred to the public prosecutor as he is convinced that the law will rule in his favour.

Fawaz al-Hassawi will lead the country's football organisation after the PSA set up two commissions ©Getty Images
Fawaz al-Hassawi will lead the country's football organisation after the PSA set up two commissions ©Getty Images

"Although our full objection to the decision of dissolution, and our abiding certainty of the incorrect reasons on basis of which it was passed, especially related to financial violations, that the public prosecutor was previously informed about it by PSA, but I will not appeal to this decision to the local court, for special reasons, as a commitment and a promise I made before the public opinion, and I have confidence of our position," Al Fahad said in a statement.

"We have received on Sunday, a letter from PSA including a threat and intimidation to handover the Kuwait NOC HQ and KFA HQ 'by force', a word that is new to the sports dictionary, and a violation to the simplest rules of applicable laws of the Sports Movement.

"We learned from the pioneer generation that democracy is a fundamental pillar in all state institutions, and during the handover process, we defended with full force for the rule of law and the justice of order, and we were determined not to give up on what we had by democracy, and we faced tough times in the Kuwait Olympic Committee and Kuwait Football Association.

"They have to understand that what was taken by force from us, shall be taken back by the rule of law and the justice of the cause and the support of the international and local Olympic Movement.   

"Which will lead us to take all the necessary and legal actions as stipulated in the law."

The PSA have reportedly set up two special commissions to oversee both the KOC and KFA, with Sheikh Fahd Jaber al-Ali heading the commission which will perform the role of the NOC.

Fawaz al-Hassawi, who is the owner of English football club Nottingham Forest, has been chosen to oversee the country’s football organisation.

Both commissions will be given a six-month mandate.

Al Fahad has alleged that the dissolving of the KOC and KFA has been done to cover for the failure to lift Kuwait’s suspensions from sport by international organisations.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) banned the country due to the new sports laws, as they have strict policy against any Government interference in sporting affairs.

Other organisations, including world football's govering body FIFA, adopted the same stance.

A Kuwaiti Government appeal against the IOC's decision was rejected by the civil Court of Canton de Vaud in Switzerland earlier this month.

Numerous meetings have taken place with the IOC since the suspension began last October, including one mediated by the United Nations, but all have failed to reach a resolution.

The KFA failed with a bid for reinstatement at FIFA's Congress in May, held in Mexico City, despite the launch of campaign led by a group of ex-professionals and other sporting officials who were attempting to get their ban from world football overturned.

Kuwait's athletes were forced to compete as independents at Rio 2016 due to the country's suspension from the IOC ©Getty Images
Kuwait's athletes were forced to compete as independents at Rio 2016 due to the country's suspension from the IOC ©Getty Images

The Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) last month rejected a separate appeal launched by the Asian Shooting Confederation, the Kuwait Shooting Federation and three Kuwaiti competitors defending their right to compete at Rio 2016.

Kuwait’s Fehaid Al-Deehani, a former head of the KOC Athletes Commission, became the first-ever competitor representing the Independent Olympic Athletes (IOA) team to win a gold medal after claiming victory in the men's double trap during the Games.

His compatriot Abdullah Al-Rashidi then won bronze in the men’s skeet competition with both shooters forced to compete under the Olympic flag and not their own.

"Last May, PSA claimed that there are serious financial violations in the Kuwait NOC without solid fact and material, nevertheless, and from the principle of cooperation in order to activate the financial control, we have given them our records in the KFA and responded with all their notes, even if we assumed the trueness of what they say, the referral to the prosecution of those offenses must be done, and not to dissolve KFA, in order to preserve public money and its sanctity,” said Al Fahad.

"However, I assure the people of Kuwait that my name is clear, with my brothers, members of both Boards also, from any false accusations or allegations about corrupt or committing financial violations.

"The truth is bitter, and that sooner or later the people of Kuwait and the sports community will wake up one day and see that fact, which is that today we are facing people who do not know the honour of the litigation, human rights and dignity, and that they have to justify their deeds whatever was the price.

"This is the bitter truth."