The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has imposed a three-year ban on Kuwait’s Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah due to alleged interference in the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) elections. The decision to enforce this ban comes following recommendations by the IOC’s ethics body.
Sheikh Ahmad, previously served as the OPEC secretary-general, had already chosen to self-suspend his membership from the IOC after being convicted of forgery by a Swiss criminal court in 2021. In the wake of his conviction, he also relinquished his position as the president of the OCA.
Earlier in the month, the presidency of the OCA was assumed by Sheikh Ahmad’s brother, Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah, who secured his position with 24 out of 44 votes. The IOC’s ethics commission has since raised concerns over Sheikh Ahmad’s “undeniable impact” on these elections, which were conducted in Bangkok.
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The ethics commission recommended the IOC sanction Sheikh Ahmad by suspending all his rights and functions as an IOC member for three years. The commission also advised Olympic parties, including IOC members, to refrain from engaging with Sheikh Ahmad to avoid any perceived influence on decisions within the Olympic Movement.
It’s noteworthy that Sheikh Ahmad was in Bangkok during the election, a move interpreted by the ethics commission as meddling in the election process. However, Sheikh Ahmad continues to deny any wrongdoing.
Furthermore, the ethics commission suggested that the IOC withhold recognition of these elections until a thorough review of the OCA’s electoral process has been completed. During this period, the commission also advised that contributions from the Olympics to the OCA, including the Olympic Solidarity Funds, should be distributed directly to the Asian National Olympic Committees by the IOC, bypassing the OCA.
Prior to these events, Sheikh Ahmad was a significant figure in sports politics, holding influential positions within both the IOC and FIFA. Last month, he assumed the role of Kuwait’s defence minister. His father, Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, was the inaugural president of the OCA.
The news is based on information sourced from the Malay Mail.
