IOC vs Al-Sabah brothers: the end of the Kuwait empire

According to a statement prepared for the IOC executive board by ethics secretary Pâquerette Girard Zappelli (annual salary $519,180), the International Olympic Committee's so-called Ethics Commission has opened proceedings against long-time influential power broker Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Ahmad Al-Sabah right after Ahmad's defeat in an criminal appeal process was reported a fortnight ago.

Sheikh Ahmad, a long-time ally of IOC deity Thomas Bach, is a convicted criminal. THE INQUISITOR published the judgement of the Chambre pénale d'appel et de révision (CPAR) in Geneva in full – in the original French and in a rough English translation.

Now we present the continuation of the Olympic crime story – again with original documents.

To make it easier for you to access the new material, we are granting all those who subscribe to THE INQUISITOR today the introductory discount that actually expired yesterday at midnight. Take your chance!

Sheikh Ahmad, who enjoyed the favour of his IOC colleague Emir Tamim Bin-Hamad Al-Thani for several years, has so far only been suspended by the IOC, but remains a member. In 2018, he suspended himself in bad old Olympic tradition.

Ahmad's IOC membership is likely to be short-lived. Or does the IOC want to play for time here too and await the judgement of the Swiss Federal Supreme Court should Ahmad lodge an appeal there?

Olympic powerbroker Sheikh Al-Sabah sentenced to prison

Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah has been sentenced to prison. Our author has observed the Kuwaiti Sheikh for many years and has been threatened by the Sheikh’s aides several times. He describes the methods that brought Ahmad to power and the implications of the conviction for Al-Sabah and the Olympic system.

THE INQUISITORJens Weinreich

The question remains as to whether Ahmad will take revenge on those who thwarted his Olympic career dreams (and those of his brother Sheikh Talal). Will Ahmad capitalise on his knowledge and drag others down with him?

Last year, the IOC declared the presidential elections in the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) invalid in an unprecedented arbitration ruling.

Olympic Game of Thrones: Bach’s IOC suspends Sheikh Ahmad until after presidential election

One of the biggest crime stories in the Olympic world takes another surprising turn. The Executive Board of the IOC has suspended the highly influential Sheikh Ahmad Al-Sabah as an IOC member for three years. The consequences are hard to foresee. It has the potential to blow up the Olympic family.

THE INQUISITORJens Weinreich

At the OCA congress in Bangkok, Ahmad's brother Talal had prevailed against Ahmad's long-time accomplice, the alleged bribe payer (according to court documents) and co-conspirator Husain Al-Musallam, President of World Aquatics, now a favourite of Thomas Bach and a candidate for IOC membership.

Sheikh Ahmad was suspended for three years for allegedly influencing elections - fittingly until after the next IOC presidential election, which is due to take place at the 2025 Session in Athens. If an election takes place at all, unless the all-powerful Thomas Bach secures an extension to his term of office by amending the Olympic Charter. Some of his vassals went to bat for this at the IOC Session in Mumbai in October.

Sheikh Talal went to court against the IOC decision of July 2023. Unsurprisingly, a district court in Lausanne rejected his request and that of the OCA on 20 January 2024. Or, to put it in the words of an expert in the Olympic family: "Lausanne/Vaud court would ever bite the hand that feeds the city".

IOC vs Al-Sabah brothers: the end of the Kuwait empire

Exclusive: the (non-independent) IOC Ethics Commission opens proceedings against Sheikh Ahmad. A district court in Lausanne dismisses a complaint by Sheikh Talal. Read the complete document of the IOC here.

THE INQUISITORJens Weinreich

As a subscriber to THE INQUISITOR, you can read the original submission by IOC Chief Ethics and Compliance Officer Pâquerette Girard Zappelli for the IOC Executive Board. It summarises the two legal strands (Sheikh Ahmad and Sheikh Talal).

Stay tuned.