Kuwait Olympic Committee

{{Short description|National Olympic Committee}} {{Infobox National Olympic Committee | title =Kuwait | logo = Kuwait Olympic Committee logo.svg | size = 150px | country = Kuwait | code = KUW | created = 1957 | recognized = 1966 | association = OCA | headquarters = [[Safat]] | president = Sheikh Fahad Nasser Sabah Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah | secretary general = Mr Hussain Al Musallam | website = {{Official URL}} }}

'''Kuwait Olympic Committee''' ({{langx|ar|اللجنة الأولمبية الكويتية}}, IOC code: '''KUW''') is the [[National Olympic Committee]] representing [[Kuwait]] and organising the [[Kuwait at the Olympics|Kuwait Olympic team]].

==2010–2012 suspension == The [[International Olympic Committee]] imposed a suspension on the committee with effect from 1 January 2010 due to government legislation that permits the state to interfere in elections of sporting organisations. The government had failed to meet the IOC's 31 December 2009 deadline for amending the legislation. As a result, Kuwait was barred from receiving IOC funding and its athletes and officials were banned from Olympic Games and Olympic meetings.<ref>{{cite web |title=IOC ban Kuwait national Olympic committee |url=http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/other-sports/058038-ioc-ban-kuwait-national-olympic-committee |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121115022519/http://www.morethanthegames.co.uk/other-sports/058038-ioc-ban-kuwait-national-olympic-committee |archive-date=2012-11-15 |website=morethanthegames.com |publisher=Sportsbeat & News Associates |date=5 January 2010}}</ref>

At the [[2010 Summer Youth Olympics]], the [[2010 Asian Games]], and the [[2011 Asian Winter Games]], Kuwaiti athletes competed as [[Independent Olympians at the Olympic Games|independent athletes]] in a team named "Athletes from Kuwait" (code: <code>IOC</code>) under the [[Olympic Flag]].<ref>{{cite web |title=Olympics-Kuwait to hoist flag at Games after row resolved |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/oly-kuwait-adv13-flag-idUSL6E8IE13520120714 |publisher=Reuters |date=14 July 2012 |access-date=24 July 2012}}</ref>

On 14 July 2012 the suspension was lifted and [[Kuwait at the 2012 Summer Olympics|Kuwaiti athletes were allowed to participate]] in the [[2012 Summer Olympics]] under their own flag.<ref>{{cite web |title=All 204 NOCs to compete in London |url=http://www.olympic.org/news/all-204-nocs-to-compete-in-london/168320 |website=Olympic.org |publisher=International Olympic Committee |date=16 July 2011 |access-date=19 July 2011}}</ref>

== 2015–2019 suspension == The Kuwait Olympic Committee was again suspended on 27 October 2015 by the IOC to protect the Olympic movement in Kuwait from undue government interference.<ref>{{cite web |title=Suspension of the Kuwait Olympic Committee |url=https://www.olympic.org/news/suspension-of-the-kuwait-olympic-committee |website=Olympic.org |publisher=International Olympic Committee |date=27 October 2015 |access-date=20 August 2016}}</ref>

As a result of this suspension, participation by athletes from Kuwait at the [[2016 Summer Olympics]] in [[Rio de Janeiro]] was allowed by the IOC in a special team named "[[Independent Olympic Athletes at the 2016 Summer Olympics|Independent Olympic Athletes]]" (code: <code>IOA</code>) under the [[Olympic flag]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Team IOA 2016 Olympics |url=https://www.rio2016.com/en/ioa |website=rio2016.com |publisher=Brazil Olympic Committee |access-date=August 11, 2016 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160815202125/https://www.rio2016.com/en/ioa |archive-date=August 15, 2016 }}</ref>

As a gesture of goodwill for the progress made by Kuwait to address the problem, the IOC temporarily lifted the suspension on 16 August 2018 and [[Kuwait at the 2018 Asian Games|Kuwaiti athletes were allowed to participate]] in the [[2018 Asian Games]] under their own flag.<ref>{{cite web| url = https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1068881/kuwait-suspension-lifted-by-ioc-in-time-for-asian-games| title = Kuwait suspension lifted by IOC in time for Asian Games| date = 16 August 2018}} </ref>

The suspension was fully lifted in July 2019.<ref>{{cite web |title=The International Olympic Committee Lifts Suspension Of Kuwait Olympic Committee |url=https://kuwaitnoc.org/news/the-international-olympic-committee-lifts-suspension-of-kuwait-olympic-committee/ |website=kuwaitnoc.org |publisher=Kuwait Olympic Committee |date=July 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200927090246/https://kuwaitnoc.org/news/the-international-olympic-committee-lifts-suspension-of-kuwait-olympic-committee/ |archive-date=September 27, 2020 }}</ref>

== See also == * [[Kuwait at the Olympics]] * [[Athletes from Kuwait at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics]] * [[Athletes from Kuwait at the 2010 Asian Games]] * [[Athletes from Kuwait at the 2011 Asian Winter Games]]

== References == {{Reflist}}

== External links == * [http://www.ocasia.org/NOC/CountryDetails?q=QtBMIH0Rumqu7JT1NbiBEiLtGElhq7F4KDncSB74hGQ= Kuwait Olympic Committee] at [[Olympic Council of Asia]] website * [http://www.olympic.org/kuwait Kuwait Olympic Committee] at [[IOC]] website *{{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180509110335/http://www.kuwaitolympic.net/ |title=Former kuwaitolympic.net website|date=9 May 2018}}

[[Category:National Olympic Committees|Kuwait]] [[Category:Sports governing bodies in Kuwait]] [[Category:Kuwait at the Olympics]] [[Category:1957 establishments in Kuwait]] [[Category:Sports organizations established in 1957]]