Asian Football Refuses To Recognise New Kuwait Governing Body

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) refuses to recognise the government-installed authority that has been put in charge of Kuwaiti soccer, the regional governing body has said.

Last week, Kuwait dissolved the country's Olympic committee and football association, citing financial irregularities, replacing them with two interim administrations.

"The Asian Football Confederation (AFC)... will not recognise the Kuwait government-installed football body, its amended statues nor its member clubs," the AFC said in a statement.

"The AFC was also appalled to hear of the reported threats made by the Kuwait government to use police to take over the Kuwait FA headquarters unless they were vacated," it added.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended Kuwait in October 2015, accusing the government of interference in its National Olympic Committee, prompting a $1 billion lawsuit for damages in Swiss courts by the Gulf Arab state in June. The decision forced Kuwaiti athletes at this month's Summer Games in Rio de Janeiro to compete under the Olympic flag.

AFC said it has instructed member associations not to deal with any new officials appointed by the Kuwait government. "Any form of government interference in the running of a Member Association is in breach of the FIFA and AFC Statutes," it said. "The AFC supports the stance taken by FIFA in suspending the Kuwait Football Association (KFA) from all football."

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