Kuwait City, Kuwait, September 30, 2020: Tributes and messages of condolence have poured in from across the Arab sporting world and beyond for Kuwait’s late ruler His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah as several countries in the Gulf and wider region announced periods of mourning.
The 91-year-old monarch, who passed away in a hospital in the United States on Tuesday, September 29 after being there for medical care since July, has been hailed as the "Emir of humanity" and "a wise leader" by his counterparts.
The Arab sporting world, too, was in mourning with many leaders taking to social media to pay fulsome tribute.
HH Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Minister of Sports and President of the Saudi Arabian Olympic Committee, tweeted: “May God have mercy on Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and let him dwell in paradise. Sincere condolences and sympathy to the Al-Sabah family and to all brothers in the State of Kuwait.”
The Qatar Olympic Committee has suspended all sporting activities for three days – from Tuesday, September 29 to Thursday, October 1 - to mourn the passing of the Kuwaiti Emir.
The UAE National Olympic Committee posted on its Facebook page: “My sincere condolences to the brotherly Kuwaiti people on the death of the late Prince of Kuwait Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah. We belong to Allah and to Him we shall return.”
The Asian Boxing Confederation President, Anas Alotaiba, and the ASBC management also sent their sincere condolences to the Kuwait boxing family on the passing of the 91-year-old Kuwaiti Emir. “May his soul rest in peace” tweeted the ASBC.
