You're probably wondering why that was the case, so let me explain. It's fairly simple really. Al-Deehani's country, Kuwait, is currently suspended by the IOC. They still let Kuwaiti athletes participate in Rio, but as "independents" under the Olympic flag. This isn't the first time that there's been a team of "Independent Olympic Athletes." In fact, there were four in London from the Netherlands Antilles, which had recently dissolved and no longer had an Olympic committee, and South Sudan, which was such a new country they hadn't set one up yet. This is the first time, though, that an independent athlete has won a gold medal and heard the Olympic anthem instead of his own (Yugoslavian athletes won a silver and two bronzes in Barcelona as independent competitors).
This case is completely unique, though. I can't think of a similar situation in Olympic history. Because here's the kicker. Kuwait has never won an Olympic gold medal and technically still hasn't. Al-Deehani's gold doesn't count towards their total. In fact, the country has won two Olympic medals in its history--both bronzes by Al-Deehani. So, he finally wins gold in his sixth Olympics, and he doesn't even get to celebrate what should've been the greatest sporting moment in his country's history.
At the Opening Ceremony, the Kuwaiti athletes were led into the stadium by a Rio 2016 volunteer. Al-Deehani was asked to carry the flag. He refused. A proud member of the Kuwaiti military, he said he'll only carry the flag of his nation. Based on those comments, you know he'd be representing Kuwait if it was up to him.
People have been weighing in all over social media about this unusual occurrence. One of my favorite lines was, "Like it or not, IOC, he's from Kuwait!" No one's trying to say he isn't Kuwaiti. Especially not the IOC. Do you really think they wanted to be in this position? They were trying to do the right thing by trying to keep the politics out of it and letting qualified Kuwaiti athletes compete under the Olympic flag. I'm sure they didn't necessarily foresee a Kuwaiti athlete winning gold and having to raise their own flag, knowing how ridiculous it was going to look.
And the reasoning for Kuwait's IOC suspension is valid. The IOC wants each country's Olympic Committee to be an independent organization with no government involvement. Well, guess why Kuwait's suspended? In fact, they've been suspended twice in five years because of government interference. They were suspended from 2010-12, forcing their athletes to compete under the Olympic flag at the 2010 Youth Olympics and 2010 Asian Games, although it was lifted in time for London (by only about two weeks). Kuwait has previously been suspended by FIFA for similar reasons.
The Kuwaiti government obviously disagrees. But the reasons for the suspension are valid. And what they have to do for reinstatement is pretty clear. India's athletes marched under the Olympic flag at the Opening Ceremony in Sochi. They held new NOC elections two days later and got reinstated. One athlete competed as an independent, the others as Indians. All Kuwait's government needs to do is let the National Olympic Committee function as an independent entity...like it's supposed to.
It's unfortunate that Kuwait's first Olympic gold isn't even Kuwait's. But I don't have any sympathy for them. Yes, I feel for Fehaid Al-Deehani. He deserved to see his flag raised and hear his anthem played. But the flag on his jersey doesn't change the fact that he's an Olympic champion. And I'll bet that all Kuwaitis are celebrating it as their own. Which they should.
Maybe someday their government will act the way every other country's does and the Kuwaiti flag will fly at an Olympics once more. Then their next gold medalist will get to see it raised. Regardless, Fehaid Al-Deehani will always be their first.
No comments:
Post a Comment