A Beautiful Athletic Role Model
There are individuals who have carved their names in letters of light into the history of Kuwaiti sports. All have testified to their elegance in conduct, wisdom, patriotism, and excellence in performance. Among the most prominent distinguished sons of Kuwait who left a pioneering mark in the sports sector and youth work, distinguished by composure, calmness, broad-mindedness, integrity, and the ability to plan and develop Kuwaiti sports over several decades, is the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Majern Al-Hamoud.
He belonged to the first generation of sportsmen, that inspiring generation that sacrificed the precious and the dear for its mission, its goal, and the service of sports, considering it a social, educational, and guiding means that brings young people together with a team spirit and protects them from bad influences. The sons of this distinguished generation left a positive imprint in this field, as they sacrificed their efforts, time, and money for a clear mission: serving and elevating Kuwaiti sports.
Notably, Major General Khaled Al-Hamoud was one of the founders of Al-Qadsia Kuwait Club in 1960. He served as the club’s president for three terms and was the first chairman of the Public Authority for Sports in Kuwait after its establishment in 1992. He also contributed to the founding of the Basketball and Volleyball Federations. He chaired the board of directors of the latter for eight years, between 1964 and 1972. He also participated in the founding of Al-Kuwait Sports Club and Al-Ahli Sports Club, and was a former member of the Kuwait Olympic Council.
Throughout this long sports journey, the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud was an example of a disciplined and calm athlete, and a model of wisdom in dealing with the sports situations and events he witnessed, whether at the club, the federation, or the authority.
Among the beautiful anecdotes about the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud is what was personally recounted to me by the honorable Colonel (Retired) Faisal Muassad Ahmad Al-Jazzaf (Abu Talal), may God protect him. (It is worth noting that Colonel (Retired) Faisal Al-Jazzaf was captain of the Al-Qadsia team, as well as captain of the Kuwait national volleyball team for several consecutive years). He narrated the following two incidents:
The first incident: “There is a historical moment etched in the memory of Kuwaiti sports, namely the Al-Qadsia Club board of directors election at the end of 1983. There was a distinguished list of club members, including a galaxy of Al-Qadsia sons, led by the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud (who was then serving as Deputy Secretary General of the Council of Ministers), along with other well-known distinguished Al-Qadsia members, most notably the late Major General Yousef Thunayan Al-Mashari (who held a high-ranking position in the Ministry of Interior at the time), and other distinguished club members.
On the other side, there was another strong list led by the late, may God have mercy on him, Martyr Fahd Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah. The competition between the two lists for seats on the Al-Qadsia board was fierce and intense. In fact, the first list, which included Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud and Major General Yousef Thunayan Al-Mashari, may God have mercy on them, seriously considered resigning and sacrificing the high-ranking positions they held in state ministries to avoid any embarrassment with the executive authority in the country, given that they held high government posts while competing against a member of the ruling family. They weighed serving the administrative continuity of Al-Qadsia against sacrificing their positions, and ultimately chose the club’s interest, especially during this critical phase in Al-Qadsia’s history.
It is worth noting that these elections received extensive media coverage and were considered exciting in their events and results; indeed, they were dubbed ‘sports elections with a political flavor,’ due to the support various segments, blocs, and political and family leaders gave to each list. The elections ended with a major victory for Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud’s list, which won a majority of the board seats, along with the entry of Martyr Fahd Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah and Major General Farid Al-Ajeel from the opposing list.”
The second incident: The honorable Colonel (Retired) Faisal Al-Jazzaf (Abu Talal), may God protect him, continued his interesting account of the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud’s incidents, saying: “One of the beautiful patriotic moments I will never forget about the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud occurred when I was a regular player in Al-Qadsia’s senior volleyball team. During the Gulf Cup final match held in the sister state of Qatar in 1985, between Kuwait’s Al-Qadsia Club and the UAE’s Al-Jazira Club, a minor altercation broke out between the players of the two teams. The personality of the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud emerged; he was a skilled national leader. Having stepped down from the podium, where he was serving as head of the Kuwaiti delegation at the time, he immediately descended onto the court. He worked to calm the players through his wisdom and positive words that reminded them of the spirit of brotherhood and sportsmanship. He succeeded in resolving the minor problem and accommodating everyone with his renowned wisdom, in a heroic and courageous move that rarely occurs.”
Finally, we say that the leadership achieved by the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud in sports administration has become a foundational school in the Kuwaiti sports field, from which many athletes have learned, whether from Al-Qadsia, other clubs, or those affiliated with Kuwaiti sports in general. His leadership, may God have mercy on him, stemmed from the beautiful qualities that distinguished him, most notably wisdom, integrity, and patriotism.
These pioneering figures, such as the late Major General Khaled Ahmad Al-Hamoud, will keep their legacy shining and their deeds immortal in the memory of Kuwaiti generations, especially athletes, for the dedication, generosity, sacrifice, and devotion they offered.
Dr. Abdulmohsen Al-Jarallah Al-Kharafi
