MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 17th August, 2018) The International Olympic Committee (IOC) recognized the progress made by Kuwait in relation to its sports legislation and provisionally lifted the ban on the Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC), the IOC press service said on Thursday.
The KOC has been banned for nearly three years over "undue government interference."
"In the interest of Kuwaiti athletes and as a gesture of goodwill to recognise the progress accomplished, the IOC Executive Board has decided to provisionally lift the suspension of the KOC with immediate effect," the IOC said in a published statement.
The board will meet in October to review Kuwait's progress in amending its sports management practices and decide whether to prolong "the goodwill gesture."
The accusations of government interference were sparked by Kuwait's controversial 2015 sports law which allegedly obstructed free elections to the national sports organization.
Kuwait's athletes participated under a neutral flag in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
