Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah
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 | |
| Parent |
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| 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 | |
Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmed Al-Jaber Al-Sabah (Arabic: الشيخ فهد الأحمد الجابر الصباح; 10 August 1945 – 2 August 1990) was a member of the Kuwaiti ruling family, a military officer, Fatah militant, and sports administrator. He was 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.
Early life[edit]
Fahad was the son of Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah and was educated in Kuwait for his primary and secondary schooling.
Military career[edit]
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 30 July 30, 1964. Fahad was subsequently promoted to Second lieutenant on 19 July 1965 and First lieutenant on 1 March 1967. On 7 June 1970 he was promoted to the rank of Captain.
Military commands[edit]
- 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 25 November 1968 in the rank of First-Lieutenant
Fatah membership and Six-Day War, 1967[edit]
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 repatriated to Kuwait.[2]
Olympic and sports administration career[edit]
Kuwait sports[edit]
- President, Kuwait Olympic Committee, 1974–1985 and 1989–1990.[1]
- President, Qadsia Sports Club, 1969–1979.
- President, Kuwait Basketball Federation, 1974–1978.
Arab sports[edit]
- First Vice President, Arab Sports Union 1976–1990.
- First Vice- President, Arab Basketball Federation 1974–1976.
Asian sports[edit]
- President, Asian Handball Federation, 1974–1990.
- President, Asian Games Federation, 1979–1982.
- President, Olympic Council of Asia, 1982–1990.
International sports[edit]
- 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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
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[edit]
National[edit]
- Military Service Medal, Bronze
- Medal of Military Duty, First Class
Foreign[edit]
- 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[edit]
References[edit]
- ^ a b "Brief Resume of the late Sheikh Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah". Archived from the original on 8 October 2007. Retrieved 17 January 2008.
- ^ a b Rosamarie Said Zahlan (2009). Palestine and the Gulf States. The Presence at the Table (PDF). New York; 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". British Broadcasting Corporation. 2 August 1990. Retrieved 23 March 2015.
- ^ The Crimes of Saddam Hussein by Dave Johns
