|
 |
| Sheikh Ahmed al-Fahd of the Kuwait Olympic Council met Blatter this week [AFP] |
Football's world governing body Fifa has lifted bans on the national associations of Peru, Samoa and Kuwait.
Peru and Kuwait were suspended for political interference, while Samoa were punished for mismanagement in October.
Kuwait will now be able to take part in the Gulf Cup, which starts in Oman on January 4.
"We are not the police but we have our statutes and we ask that that they are correctly respected," president Sepp Blatter said after Fifa's executive committee meeting in Tokyo on Saturday.
People and politicians
"It was possible in Peru to bring people and the politicians together, for the time being. We hope it will continue to work."
Blatter warned, however, that Kuwait's reprieve could be reversed at Fifa's June congress in the Bahamas unless political meddling stopped.
The 1982 World Cup qualifiers have been suspended twice in the last 15 months.
"We have lifted Kuwait's ban – temporarily," said Blatter.
"If the laws in Kuwait have not been changed to give autonomy to the sports organisations then it will go to congress.
"If congress decides to suspend Kuwait, it will last at least one year."
Letter to the president
On Tuesday Asian Football Confederation (AFC) president Mohamed Bin Hammam sent a letter to Fifa urging the lifting of its ban on Kuwait.
He said on the ban should be lifted to "protect the game and footballers in Kuwait" by giving the nine-times Gulf champions the chance to qualify for the 2011 Asian Cup.
Kuwait Olympics Committee chairman Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad also travelled to Tokyo this week to discuss the ban with Blatter.
|