Gulf Cup deadline pushed back over Qatar crisis

Qatar celebrate winning the Gulf Cup in 2014. (AP)

DOHA: The deadline to announce if the Qatar-hosted Gulf Cup will take place amid an ongoing regional political crisis has been pushed back, a top official said yesterday.
The final decision, which was originally slated for Nov. 30, will now be made early next week following a meeting on Monday — just 18 days before the tournament is scheduled to start — Jassim Al-Rumaihi, Arab Gulf Cup Football Federation (AGCFF) general secretary, told AFP.
“We wait until Monday for a final decision on this matter,” Rumaihi said.
Despite the desperate attempts of AGCFF officials, it looks increasingly likely that the competition will become the first high-profile sporting victim of the political uncertainties surrounding Qatar and its neighbors.
Major doubts have hung over the competition because of a bitter dispute involving Qatar and its neighbors, including Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates and Bahrain.
The crisis erupted on June 5 when Qatar was politically and economically isolated by a quartet of neighboring countries over its alleged support for terrorist groups and warming relations with Saudi Arabia’s great regional rival, Shiite-dominated Iran.
Qatar denies the allegations.
Last month, Saudi Arabia, UAE and Bahrain were withdrawn from the eight-team tournament after failing to respond to a written invitation to take part.
The slim chance that the Gulf Cup will go ahead rests with Kuwait. Although Kuwait is not part of the political dispute — it has acted as a regional mediator since the crisis began — its football association has its own separate problems and remains suspended by FIFA, which means it is unclear if its team is eligible to play in the tournament.
The AGCFF, based in Doha, have said they would go ahead with a five-team tournament.
If the Gulf Cup begins on Dec. 22 it will be played between Qatar, Iraq, Oman, Kuwait and Yemen. Qatar are the current holders.
Usually played every two years, the Gulf Cup was originally meant to be hosted by Kuwait in 2016 but was moved to Qatar because of the FIFA ban.
Any cancelation of the Gulf Cup could cause embarrassment to Qatar, as it continues its $500 million-a-week preparations for the 2022 World Cup, and serve as a warning to the political uncertainties surrounding its staging of the World Cup.