A leaked letter sent to Asia Aquatics president Sheikh Khalid Al Sabah claims that Kuwait’s Public Authority for Sport has transferred millions of dollars to him for the benefit of the continental governing body — money that never ended up making it into Asia Aquatics’ bank account.
The letter came from Taha Al Kishry, secretary general of Asia Aquatics and a World Aquatics Bureau member, who seeks to address the matter publicly at the upcoming General Congress in Doha on Monday.
According to Ahmad Alsalami, a freelance journalist from the United Kingdom, the missing Kuwaiti funds amount to $7 million from 2010-16.
Sheikh Khalid, a member of Kuwait’s Al Sabah ruling family, has served as president of Asia Aquatics since 2009.
“The recent discovery of a communication between the Public Authority for Sport and yourself concerning financial assistance allocated to AASF has raised significant concerns,” Al Kishry wrote to Sheikh Khalid. “In my previous communication dated November 6, 2023, I sought clarification on the annual support of USD 500,000. To my surprise, it has come to my attention that not only has this amount been increased to almost USD 1,000,000, but AASF has not received any part of it. This funding is intended for the benefit of our sports and the athletes.”
World Aquatics president Husain Al Musallam previously served as secretary general of the Kuwait Swimming Association under Sheikh Khalid. Last year, Al Musallam lost by four votes to Sheikh Talal Fahad Al-Sabah in the Olympic Council of Asia’s presidential election. Those election results were later deemed illegitimate by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) because the suspended Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah intervened on behalf of his brother.
Both Sheikh Ahmad and Al Musallam have reportedly been targeted by the U.S. Department of Justice for suspected bribery related to FIFA and international soccer politics. Al Musallam has maintained his innocence and told reporters at the Tokyo 2021 Olympics that he was never questioned by American investigators about those allegations.
The Kuwait Olympic Committee (KOC) nominated the candidacy of Al Musallam, who was elected president of World Aquatics (then FINA) in 2021. The IOC previously banned the KOC for government interference, and Al Musallam’s own swimming federation attempted to have him removed from office directly preceding the 2017 FINA elections when he was named First Vice President.
In 2017, Al Musallam was also the subject of an IOC ethics investigation after leaked audio caught him requesting a 10% commission for Asian Games sponsorship deals from the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).
This Hussain is freaking dodgy. How the hell did he rise up to the president position and earn a fresh 8 year term in WA ? Why are there no NFs challenging the amendment in their constitution? Flabbergasted man
I did it. I took them.