(ATR) Around the Rings has learned that the Kuwait government has failed in its lawsuit against the IOC to overturn the NOC’s international suspension.
"The case filed by the State of Kuwait and the Public Authority for Sports (PAS) before the cantonal civil court of Canton de Vaud has been rejected," said a letter dated Aug. 2 to IOC president Thomas Bach seen by ATR.
Kuwait had sought to overturn the NOC’s ban, imposed last October, in time for the Rio Olympics to allow its athletes to compete under the country’s flag at the Games. It means Kuwaitiathletes will compete as independents at the Games.
Last October the IOC handed Kuwait its third suspension since 2009 over autonomy issues. As a result, the eight Kuwaiti athletes at the Rio de Janeiro Olympics will compete under the flag of the IOC, not the national flag of Kuwait.
The judgment, which follows a court hearing on July 15, calls for Kuwait and PAS to pay $11,457 in costs and fees for the court case. They have an opportunity appeal the ruling at the Swiss Federal Court.
The court’s verdict is the latest blow for Kuwaiti sport, which is reeling after the IOC’s ban due to government interference in the NOC’s affairs related to its new sports law.
In a separate lawsuit, Kuwait is also suing the IOC for more than $1bn in damages over the NOC’s suspension. FIFA suspended Kuwait in October over government meddling in its football federation, while a number of other international federations have also been forced to impose bans on national federations due to the government legislation.
Kuwait’s flagbearer at the Rio Olympics opening ceremony remains uncertain after today’s court judgment.
According to Kuwaiti media, shooter Fehaid Al Deehani is refusing to carry the Olympic flag on Friday. The bronze medalist at the Sydney 2000 and London 2012 Games is one of six shooters in the Kuwaiti delegation of athletes; the others are a fencer and swimmer.
Reported by Mark Bissonin Rio de Janeiro
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