World soccer governing body FIFA has suspended Kuwait from all
international activities because of governmental interference in
the nation's soccer federation's election.
The heavy punishment may pose an end to the Gulf nation's 2010
World Cup qualifying tour if they could not take some efficient
measures immediately.
Kuwait's soccer federation held an election for some important
posts on October 9, but FIFA and the Asian Football Confederation
(AFC) refused to legalize the polls, as FIFA said the election was
not organized in an independent way in which there's no
governmental interference.
Kuwait were scheduled to start their 2010 World Cup qualifying
campaign next month after Bhutan's withdrawal from the first
round.
The AFC echoed FIFA's suspension on Tuesday by withdrawing all
the Kuwait match officials from an Olympic qualifier between Saudi
Arabia and Qatar, as well as the Kuwait Fustal team from the
ongoing Asian Indoor Games in Macao, China.
FIFA took similar suspensions on Iran before the Doha Asian
Games at the end of last year, but after Iran's diplomatic efforts
the Iranian Olympic side finally got the qualification for the Doha
Asiad.
(Xinhua News Agency October 31, 2007)