KUWAIT CITY, July 14: Abdulaziz Madloul, the director of the Jahra team, has issued a heartfelt plea to Dr. Amthal Al-Huwaila, the Minister of Social Affairs, Family and Childhood Affairs, and the Minister of State for Youth Affairs. He urged her to address the ongoing issues facing the Jahra Club.

Madloul emphasized, “We need her to pay a little attention to what is happening at the Jahra Club. We ask her to visit the Jahra Club Center and observe how the team is training and preparing for the new season.” He highlighted the incomplete maintenance work, forcing the team to train in a temporary facility on artificial turf.

Additionally, Madloul sent a message to Bashar Abdullah, the acting Director General of the General Sports Authority, asking for his attention to the club's plight. He expressed hope that Bashar, a former player, would understand the players' circumstances and the challenges they face.

Madloul described the dire situation at the Al-Jahra Club, stating that he has until July 25 to submit the administrative, technical, and medical staff lists to the Al-Ittihad, which he cannot fulfill under current conditions. He and Mubarak Al-Jadaan, the head of the football apparatus, are personally striving to gather players and maintain training despite the challenges.

He revealed that the team wanted assistant coach Ahmed Hassan due to the departure of French coach Eric, who was forced to leave because of unpaid rent since last November. The team is currently training in a center affiliated with the Authority, lacking proper facilities, and players are changing in a nearby Mosque.

Madloul added, “Until today, we do not know the team’s status: whether it will participate in the league championship or not.” He noted that the Kuwait Football Association set August 5 as the deadline to determine the team's participation in local competitions. This uncertainty stems from the lack of approval signatures from the authority and a case filed by a player against the club with FIFA, resulting in a $50,000 fine for Al-Jahra.

Madloul stressed that Al-Jahra is awaiting a suitable resolution and that it doesn't matter who leads the club's board of directors. “We want stability, and we want to return to fulfilling our roles in the club and participating in local competitions, like the rest of the clubs,” he concluded.

Khaled El Anzi

Al-Seyassah/Arab Times Staff