INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
2023-01-08T20:29:32.000000 Kuwaits Foreign Minister, Salem Abdallah al-Jaber al-Sabah, on Sunday extended congratulations to his Iraqi
counterpart, Fuad Hussein, for his nations success in arranging the 25th tournament of the Gulf Football Cup
Al-Sabahs remarks came during a phone call that followed a brawl that shocked the observers throughout the inauguration ceremony on Friday
The Kuwaiti diplomat commended Iraqs preparations for the competition and the recognized capabilities the appropriate authorities put at the
disposal of the tournaments organizers
Hussein stated that Fridays events should not undermine the strong ties in between Kuwait and Baghdad and thanked al-Sabah for the
assistance his country provided to Iraq prior to and during the tournament
A brawl ahead of the opening event of the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup in Iraq required a stunned Kuwaiti delegation to leave the stadium.A video
shared on social networks revealed men in the VIP area at the Basra International Stadium arguing and pushing one another while others
attempted to separate them.According to media reports, the mayhem emerged soon after the Kuwaiti delegation got to the stadium on Friday
The delegation, headed by the Kuwaiti Emirs agent and head of the Kuwaiti Olympic Committee Sheikh Fahd Al-Nasser, was recorded leaving the
place in the southern city of Basra after viral footage showed a fistfight at the stadium.Reports said the mayhem was set off after
unapproved fans stormed into the VIP area of the stadium.Kuwaiti paper al-Rai cited sources as saying reports about the withdrawal of
Kuwaits nationwide team from the tournament were false, adding that the group will bet Qatar as planned on January 7
The Iraqi Football Association has actually asked forgiveness to the Kuwaiti delegation for the difficulties that prevented it from going
into the Palm Trunk arena to attend the opening ceremony of the 25th Arabian Gulf Cup tournament, reports Al-Anba daily
In a statement, the federation revealed its deep regret that some organizational matters had actually headed out of their proper structure
at the opening ceremony.The eight-nation Arabian Gulf Cup will see groups from the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries - Bahrain, Kuwait,
Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates - as well as Yemen and Iraq compete.Its the very first time considering that 1979
that turmoil-wracked Iraq hosts the tournament.
