Kuwait: The President of the Kuwait Olympic Committee, Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah, confirmed here on Wednesday that the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) had permanently lifted the suspension of Kuwait following issuance of Decree 26 that amended national sports regulations to be in harmony with international laws.

Sheikh Ahmad said in a statement to the Kuwait News Agency (KUNA) that the IOC EB decided at a meeting to respond to a message, addressed by HH the Amir Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah, to the committee last June, requesting the lifting of the ban after issuance of the relevant decree.

He indicated that member states of the IOC hailed the Amir's steps in this respect and revealed that foreign sports federations that stopped playing against Kuwaiti teams had started to lift the suspension. It would be fully effective within two weeks, he added. These measures will ensure the comeback of the Kuwaiti teams and athletes and participation in championships -- hoisting the national flag.

Sheikh Ahmad expressed gratitude to HH the Amir for all the measures he had undertaken to "spare the national sports international suspension and ensure participation of Kuwait and its athletes in all regional, continental and international tournaments under the slogan of the State." 

He reaffirmed allegiance, also on behalf of all personnel of the national Olympic movement and national athletes, to HH the Amir, vowing to pursue the efforts to "hoist the slogan of Kuwait at regional, continental and international sports forums." 

The IOC suspended Kuwait's membership in January 2010 due to a lack of compatibility between the Kuwaiti sports laws and the Olympic charter.  The suspension was lifted on a provisional basis in July to allow Kuwait to compete in the London Olympics under their national flag, and now the lifting of the ban is permanent after the IOC EB meeting this week in Lausanne, Switzerland.