Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (Arabic: الشيخ فهد الأحمد الجابر الصباح; August 12, 1945 – August 2, 1990) was a member of the House of Sabah and a Kuwaiti military officer who was also the founder of the Asian Handball Federation and Kuwait Olympic Committee.[1] Fahad was killed fighting alongside the Kuwait Emiri Guard in defending Dasman Palace on the first day of the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait.
Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah | |
|---|---|
الشيخ فهد الأحمد الجابر الصباح | |
| 1st President of the Asian Handball Federation | |
| In office 26 August 1974 – 2 August 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah |
| 1st President of the Olympic Council of Asia | |
| In office 16 November 1982 – 2 August 1990 | |
| Preceded by | Position created |
| Succeeded by | Roy de Silva (acting) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 10 August 1945 Kuwait |
| Died | 2 August 1990 (aged 44) Kuwait |
| Children | 5 sons & 1 daughter
|
| Parent |
|
| Awards |
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| Military service | |
| Allegiance | Kuwait |
| Branch/service | Kuwait Army |
| Rank | Commanding Officer |
| Unit | Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade Kuwait Emiri Guard Brigade |
| Battles/wars | |
Early life
Fahad was the son of Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and was educated in Kuwait for his primary and secondary schooling.
Military career
Fahad was commissioned in the Kuwait Armed Forces on April 22, 1963 as an Aspirant. He pursued further military training in a military institution in the United Kingdom on July 30, 1964. Fahad was subsequently promoted to Second lieutenant on July 19, 1965 and First lieutenant on March 1, 1967. On June 7, 1970 he was promoted to the rank of Captain.
Military commands
- Acting commander by delegation of the 2nd Commando Battalion, Kuwait 25th Commando Brigade attached to the Yarmouk Brigade
- Staff Officer in the Kuwait Emiri Guard on November 25, 1968 in the rank of First-Lieutenant
Fatah membership and Six-Day War, 1967
Fahad was a member of the Palestinian group Fatah when it was headquartered in Jordan and later when it moved to Lebanon.[2] In June 1967, the Kuwait Armed Forces were engaged outside the borders of Kuwait for the first time, during the Six-Day War between Israel and four Arab countries (Egypt, Iraq, Syria and Jordan). Fahad took part in the Six-Day War attached to the Yarmouk Brigade of the Kuwait Army; as acting commander by delegation of the 2nd Commando Battalion, on the Egyptian front.
In 1971 Fahad was arrested as a fighter in Lebanon and sent to Kuwait.[2]
Olympic and sports administration career
Kuwait sports
- President, Kuwait Olympic Committee, 1974–1985 and 1989–1990.[1]
- President, Qadsia Sports Club, 1969–1979.
- President, Kuwait Basketball Federation, 1974–1978.
Arab sports
- First Vice President, Arab Sports Union 1976–1990.
- First Vice- President, Arab Basketball Federation 1974–1976.
Asian sports
- President, Asian Handball Federation, 1974–1990.
- President, Asian Games Federation, 1979–1982.
- President, Olympic Council of Asia, 1982–1990.
International sports
- Vice-President, International Handball Federation, 1980–1990.
- Vice-President, Association of National Olympic Committee, 1979–1990.
- Member, International Olympic Committee, 1981–1990.
- Member, IOC Executive Board, 1985–1989.
1982 World Cup incident
During the match against France at the 1982 FIFA World Cup, France scored a goal while some of the Kuwaiti players had stopped, having heard a whistle. The goal was initially awarded by the referee, who had not blown, but was cancelled after Fahad stepped onto the field and ordered the referee to reverse his decision.[3] In 1988, Fahad invited Michel Platini (at the time the French football team's captain) to play for Kuwait in a preparatory match against the USSR. Platini played for 21 minutes, and was framed by the Kuwaitis as an apology for his unethical behavior eight years before.[4]
Dasman Palace
In August 1990, Iraq invaded Kuwait.[5][6] While Kuwait was being overrun, the Emir of Kuwait escaped from the country. Various Military Forces units were engaged in different battle sectors; Fahad died fighting alongside the Kuwait Emiri Guard commanders in the Battle of Dasman Palace.
Personal life
Fahad was married and was the father of five sons and one daughter. One of his sons is Ahmed Al-Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Sabah, who was president of the Olympic Council of Asia, as well as a member of the International Olympic Committee.
Honours and awards
National
- Military Service Medal, Bronze
- Medal of Military Duty, First Class
Foreign
- Order of military courage of Egypt, First Class
- Order of Republic of Tunisia
- Order of Republic of Yemen, First Class
- Honorary Doctorate from Helwan University, Egypt
- Olympic Gold Medal from the General Secretariat of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf
- Appreciation Decoration on behalf of UNESCO
- Honorary Doctorate in Law from University of Seoul, South Korea
- Honorary citizenship of Japan
See also
References
- ^ a b . Archived from the original on 8 October 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
- ^ a b Rosamarie Said Zahlan (2009). (PDF). New York and London: Routledge. p. 12. ISBN 978-0-415-80496-7. Archived from the original (PDF) on 30 July 2021.
- ^ "FIFA World Cup moments: Kuwait's Prince Fahad gets France's goal chalked off in the 1982 controversial clash". firstpost.com. 21 May 2018.
- ^ Veyssiere, Kevin (2022). Mondial: Football Club Geopolitics - Vol. 2 22 unusual stories about the World Cup. Max Milo Editions. ISBN 978-2-315-01085-1. OCLC 1357157288.
- ^ "On This Day: 2 August; 1990: Iraq invades Kuwait". bbc.co.uk. British Broadcasting Corporation. 2 August 1990. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ The Crimes of Saddam Hussein by Dave Johns