Kuwait eyes privatisation of sports industry

Kuwait is considering privatising its sports industry with the intention of becoming a major power in world sport.

Minister of Information and Minister of State for Youth Affairs Salman Sabah Salem Al-Humoud Al-Sabah chaired a meeting on Wednesday with consulting firm McKinsey to explore the prospect, according to state news agency KUNA.

The meeting represents “genuine efforts on the part of the government to privatise the sport industry as it seeks to propel Kuwait to the upper echelons of the sporting world” the Public Authority for Sports was cited as saying.

During the meeting McKinsey provided a survey of the sporting landscape in the country, including different plans to privatise the country’s sport industry.

Separately Sheikh Salman vowed support for the country’s hosting of the eighth GCC Sports Championship for universities and higher education institutions.

He told a Public Authority for Applied Education and Training delegation that the tournament would be offered full logistical and media backing for the November tournament, according to Kuwait Times.

Read: Why sport matters more than ever for the region

Last year, Kuwait’s Tamdeen Group announced a KWD 100m (Dhs 1.21bn) expansion of the country’s 360 Mall including a new tennis stadium designed to host international tournaments.

Read: Kuwait’s tennis serve