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No flag, anthem for Kuwait aces
Source: Agencies |
November 22, 2010, Monday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
THERE are 45 countries represented at the Asian Games in Guangzhou. Technically, Kuwait is not one of them.
The International Olympic Committee suspended Kuwait's national Olympic committee at the beginning of the year for alleged political interference by the government, consequently barring Kuwaiti athletes and officials from the Olympic Games and making the country ineligible for Olympic funding.
Still, the Gulf state is represented at the 16th Asian Games. It has 194 athletes competing in 21 sports under the IOC banner. They are simply labeled "Athletes from Kuwait."
By the ninth day of competition, Kuwait had two gold medals - both in trap shooting - and five overall.
Naser Meqlad won the trap from countryman Khaled Almudhaf at the Guangzhou Shotgun Center. Both were disappointed at the medal ceremony, though, because there was no Kuwaiti flag raised and no anthem.
"It hurts, and I cried twice, " Almudhaf said. "But what can I do? I want to take the IOC flag off and hear my national anthem. My heart was a rock."
Meqlad won the Asian Games gold closer to home when the last edition was held at Doha, Qatar, in 2006. He said he could never compare the feelings of having won his first gold. "I was very happy about winning in Doha. Winning the gold medal was a really good feeling. I cannot replace that feeling."
Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah is a Kuwaiti and understood the athletes from his country would be disappointed that they're not representing their national team. But he said it was important for them to be here, competing, and was pleased the IOC had involved them under the Olympic banner.
Abdullah Mansour, the captain of the men's volleyball team, said the controversy has affected the team on and off the competition field.
"I mean to participate in events without the Kuwaiti flag, that really hurt the players," Mansour said in remarks translated from Arabic. "All other teams are participating under their own (national) flag while we are participating under the Olympic flag and that has a bad psychological effect on our players."
The International Olympic Committee suspended Kuwait's national Olympic committee at the beginning of the year for alleged political interference by the government, consequently barring Kuwaiti athletes and officials from the Olympic Games and making the country ineligible for Olympic funding.
Still, the Gulf state is represented at the 16th Asian Games. It has 194 athletes competing in 21 sports under the IOC banner. They are simply labeled "Athletes from Kuwait."
By the ninth day of competition, Kuwait had two gold medals - both in trap shooting - and five overall.
Naser Meqlad won the trap from countryman Khaled Almudhaf at the Guangzhou Shotgun Center. Both were disappointed at the medal ceremony, though, because there was no Kuwaiti flag raised and no anthem.
"It hurts, and I cried twice, " Almudhaf said. "But what can I do? I want to take the IOC flag off and hear my national anthem. My heart was a rock."
Meqlad won the Asian Games gold closer to home when the last edition was held at Doha, Qatar, in 2006. He said he could never compare the feelings of having won his first gold. "I was very happy about winning in Doha. Winning the gold medal was a really good feeling. I cannot replace that feeling."
Olympic Council of Asia President Sheikh Ahmad al-Fahad al-Sabah is a Kuwaiti and understood the athletes from his country would be disappointed that they're not representing their national team. But he said it was important for them to be here, competing, and was pleased the IOC had involved them under the Olympic banner.
Abdullah Mansour, the captain of the men's volleyball team, said the controversy has affected the team on and off the competition field.
"I mean to participate in events without the Kuwaiti flag, that really hurt the players," Mansour said in remarks translated from Arabic. "All other teams are participating under their own (national) flag while we are participating under the Olympic flag and that has a bad psychological effect on our players."
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