Not a Team Failure, But a Crisis in the Sports System
Once again, the Kuwaiti national team exits the recent Gulf Cup in a manner unworthy of Kuwait’s name and sporting history, failing to achieve results commensurate with its stature. This time, the elimination was not merely without a trophy, but without a single point, in a painful sporting spectacle that clearly reflects the extent of the decline and regression that has afflicted Kuwaiti football in recent years. From competing for top positions and championships, we have now reached the bottom of the group standings with no points to our name. This is not just the result of a single match or tournament that can be dismissed by forgetting it and awaiting the next competition; rather, it is a new alarm bell confirming that a deeper malfunction exists, requiring genuine and courageous review. The most pressing question is: Why do losses repeat and results deteriorate while the same system and the same level of spending persist?
Notably, the sports file has not received its fair share of reform and review, even as the country has witnessed extensive reviews across numerous sectors, encompassing government files, institutions, agencies, associations, civil society organizations, and anti-corruption efforts. Yet, the sports sector has been excluded from these reforms, and it urgently needs a fundamental review commensurate with the scale of the challenges and outcomes, far removed from temporary solutions and reactive measures tied to the result of a single match or tournament.
The issue extends beyond the loss of the senior national team. The matter demands a comprehensive look at the entire sports ecosystem, spanning from clubs and federations to talent discovery, youth sectors, coach preparation, professionalism, sports management, facility development, and mechanisms for expenditure, oversight, and accountability. When we speak of sports, we are also speaking of public money. The sports sector carries an annual burden of over 100 million dinars from the general budget, with club-related investments amounting to substantial sums, estimated at 10 million dinars. Therefore, citizens have the right to ask: What is the benefit of this expenditure?
We must question the system that created this reality. Spending cannot continue in the same manner, under the same management, while expecting different results. The requirement is not to reduce support or place the blame for failure on a single party, but to conduct a comprehensive evaluation of the system. Where is the flaw? Who formulates the plans? How are leaders selected? What criteria are used to evaluate federations and clubs? How are entities held accountable when they fail to achieve their objectives?
The time has come for the government to treat sports as a sector requiring genuine institutional reform. Continuing to pump money without tangible results has become demoralizing for athletes and the sporting community. Kuwaiti sports lack neither history, nor talent, nor potential. What they lack is a clear project, competent management, real accountability, and a long-term strategy. Kuwaiti sports today require a bold reformist decision, not temporary fixes after each failure. A comprehensive review of the sports file is needed, along with the establishment of clear, measurable objectives, linking expenditure to results, and genuine investment in youth and talent. Kuwait, which has produced generations that raised its flag in international sporting arenas, deserves a system that restores sports to its rightful place. The continuation of the current status quo is no longer something that can be ignored or deferred.
