VZCZCXRO9496
RR RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK
DE RUEHKU #2116/01 1571616
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 061616Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY KUWAIT
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 4956
INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE
RUEHKU/OMC-K KUWAIT KU

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 KUWAIT 002116 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NEA/ARP (DBERNS), NEA/PPD (DBENZE, CWHITTLESEY, PAGNEW), 
ECA/PE/C/CU (KWAINSCOTT), ECA (NBISHOP) 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: KPAO OEXC SCUL KISL PHUM KMDR ZP KU ISLAMISTS
SUBJECT: FACE OFF--AMERICAN AND KUWAITI WOMEN MEET ON THE BASKETBALL 
COURT 
 
REF:  05 KUWAIT 2996 
 
¶1. Summary:  Embassy Kuwait arranged a rematch between Camp 
Arifjan's American military women's basketball team and Kuwait's 
Al-Fatat Sports Club women's team on Thursday, April 27, 2006.  The 
American team defeated the Kuwaiti team on its home court in this 
second in a series of friendship games, leading by a score of 71-64. 
 Participants and more than 200 observers praised both sides for the 
public display of sportsmanship, teamwork and camaraderie.  On the 
heels of initially positive media coverage, Islamists blasted the 
event in the press, subjecting the Embassy to severe criticism for 
arranging the competition and allegedly displaying insensitivity to 
Islamic and Kuwaiti culture.  Despite the condemnation from certain 
quarters, the two teams have agreed to future competitive events. 
Kuwaiti women and their daughters who want to be able to engage in 
athletic competition very much want, and deserve, our continued 
support.  End Summary. 
 
Building Friendship through Sports 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  The basketball team from Kuwait's Al-Fatat women's sports club 
hosted the American military women's team from Camp Arifjan on 
Thursday, April 27, 2006.  The game was arranged through the Public 
Affairs sections of the U.S. Embassy and the Coalition Forces Land 
Component Command (CFLCC).  This game was a rematch of the Al-Fatat 
v. Arifjan match-up held in June, 2005 (which ended 38-37 in favor 
of the Americans, see reftel). 
 
¶3.  The game featured a high-level of play and camaraderie between 
the two teams.  The Kuwaiti team, half of their players in hejab and 
their blue and orange uniforms, faced off against the blue and 
red-uniformed Americans in a see-saw battle that ended in a 71-64 
victory for the American team.  Following the game, players from 
both sides took pictures together and celebrated their common love 
of the sport at a light buffet reception. 
 
High-level Support for Women in Sports 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶4.  Ambassador and Mrs. LeBaron cheered on the players as did U.S. 
Major General James A. Kelley (Third Army Deputy Commander), Kuwaiti 
Brigadier General Khaleel Al-Shamali, Sheikha Fareeha Al-Sabah, and 
Ms. Fadhila Al-Shwailan, Chairwoman of Al-Fatat Sports Club. 
Following the game, the Ambassador presented the players with 
Embassy gifts, General Kelley presented military coins and Sheikha 
Fareeha presented medals on behalf of the hosts.  Al-Fatat Club 
chairwoman Fadhila Al-Shwailan also presented gifts to the 
Ambassador and General Kelley on behalf of the club. 
 
¶5.  The comments following the game from both teams were 
overwhelmingly positive.  One Kuwaiti girl said that she "loved 
playing against the Americans because that improved the skills of 
the Kuwaitis."  Both sides agreed that such events allowed the "two 
sides to get to know one another better and increase the friendship" 
between the players.  One Kuwaiti player summed up the evening, 
saying, "We love playing the Americans and we hope to do it again. 
It was a great game." 
 
Islamists Cry "Foul" 
-------------------- 
 
¶6.  In general, press reporting of the game was accurate and 
positive; however, Islamists used the sporting event to lash out at 
the Embassy, filing columns and op-eds accusing the U.S. of forcibly 
imposing western values on Kuwaitis.  The furor began in Al-Watan 
daily Arabic newspaper, which ran both the positive story and the 
criticism on the top half of the front page with a color photo on 
April 30. 
 
Post-Game Hoopla 
---------------- 
 
¶7.  Al-Watan, p. 61, 4/30/06: 
--Headline:  Al-Khanna (Salafi Kuwaiti MP Fahd Al-Khanna): Why do 
the Americans meddle with our affairs? 
--Al-Khanna said to Al-Watan that "taking such matters lightly and 
not considering the rules of Islamic Shari'a and the traditions of 
Kuwaitis is an irritating gesture that challenges the core values of 
Kuwaiti society. The Ministry of Affairs should have complied and 
made sure that all organizations under it complied by not mixing men 
and women and not having women appear before men and men appearing 
before women as well as adhering to the proper dress code. Al-Khanna 
also wondered what the commander of the American force has to do 
with such an event and asked 'What is the story with these people 
meddling with our affairs? And, is there an agenda to erase the 
conservative Kuwaiti identity and replace it?'" 
 
 
KUWAIT 00002116  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶8.  Al-Watan, front page, 5/1/06, By Yousef Al-Nassar: 
--Headline:  Walid Al-Osaimi (tribal MP) to the American Ambassador: 
We did not and will not veil your women, why do you want to dress 
our women in shorts? 
--"MP Walid Al-Osaimi strongly criticized the Al-Fatat club's 
hosting of a women's basketball match with a team of American women 
that was attended by the American Ambassador and a group of men. 
Kuwait and its people respect the United States of America and in 
return the United States of America should respect the privacy of 
the Kuwait society and not impose western values, which are seen by 
most Kuwaitis as contradictory to the religion of the country and 
the traditions of Kuwaiti society. Al-Osaimi addressed the American 
Ambassador saying 'You should not forget that Kuwaitis did not and 
will not make American women wear the veil, and so you should not 
try to dress our women in shorts.' He also expressed his contempt 
for the fact that such shallow event took place under the auspices 
of respected persons, calling it an attempt to westernize the 
society and a state-sponsored offense on morals. Al-Osaimi demanded 
that the Minister of Social Affairs and Labor Shaykh Al Al-Jarrah 
Al-Sabah take the necessary steps and clearly prevent such unnatural 
events from taking place." 
 
¶9.  Al-Seyassah, front page, 5/1/06, By Salim Al-Wawan, Raid Yousef, 
Khalid Al-Hajry, and Badr Al-Omran: 
--Headline:  Sharar on the government's withdrawal of the "five": 
The Ministerial committee's report is the deciding factor and the 
decision is tomorrow 
--"MP Dr. Faisal Al-Muslim launched a violent attack yesterday 
against the use of women's sports in demeaning ways. He pointed to 
the basketball game between American girls with the girls of 
Al-Fatat sports club. He stated that the organizers of such an event 
violated the traditions and values as well as all rules of Shari'a, 
especially since it occurred in the presence of men amongst them the 
American Ambassador and other officials. He added that the American 
Embassy's press release expresses the uncontrollable urge to 
westernize Kuwaiti society under the auspices of leading figures in 
the country calling for a strong governmental position against such 
practices." 
 
¶10.  Al-Watan, p. 12, 05/03/06: 
"The chairman of the Kuwaiti Society for Fundamental Human Rights 
Dr. Adel Al-Damkhy rejected Kuwaiti women's participation in 
basketball games attended by a group of men from the American 
Embassy and some Kuwaiti officials citing religious and national 
reasons. According to Dr. Al-Damkhy, 'article 17 of the Organization 
of Islamic Conference's declaration on human rights states that 
every person has the right to live in an environment free of 
corruption and moral disease, which allows him to build his 
character. The society and state should provide individuals with 
such a right.' Dr. Al-Damkhy also questioned whether the attendance 
of men at a women's sporting event is religiously acceptable and if 
there is any chivalry in it. He called on the proper authorities to 
investigate the incident. What is more shameful is that the news was 
broadcast through an American Embassy press release which is viewed 
as doing two things: first, the American Embassy with this press 
release is challenging the feeling of the conservative Kuwaiti 
people. Second, the Embassy broadcast it as a press release as if to 
say that this was not simply attendance at a basketball game but 
rather to state a position and to spread certain views." 
 
¶11.  Al-Watan, p. 20, 05/03/06: 
"Where are the nation's men?" by Ahmed Barak Al-Haify. 
"The attendance of men at a women's basketball game is considered a 
farce to the fullest meaning of the word. One that we cannot be 
quiet about and one that goes against everything related to the 
values and traditions of [our] society. I think that doing such 
things is intended to feel out the Kuwaiti street's reaction as well 
as that of the National Assembly. If the reaction is normal and the 
incident is criticized by some members, while others in the society 
are quiet, then they will consider it a success and follow it with 
bigger steps towards corruption. And, I state that what the minority 
does of strange conduct is considered improper by our conservative 
society. The most important question is 'where are the nation's 
men?' Do they support it, or do they not know what has happened? I 
especially call on the members of the National Assembly whose voices 
were raised for all topics, where are they on these catastrophes? 
Or, is putting a speed bump in a street and lighting the road 
leading to the stables more important than the morals of the 
nation?" 
 
Response to Islamists: Keep Your Opinion to Yourself 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶12.  Kuwait Times, p. 2, 05/10/06: 
The Kuwait Times printed an opinion piece in response to the 
Islamist criticisms.  Writer Ahmad Al-Khaled wrote, "It is clear 
from the photos of the event that no less than six Kuwaiti players 
were in full Islamic dress, hejab and all, basketball in tow.  I 
 
KUWAIT 00002116  003 OF 003 
 
 
wonder if Al-Ossaimi thinks those players were forced to wear the 
hejab by the Americans?... What is perplexing to me is Al-Ossaimi's 
idea that his values represent my values and the values of every 
Kuwaiti player that day...As a Kuwaiti son, husband and father, I 
will not accept anyone policing the Kuwaiti women in my life.  I 
will also not accept anyone telling them what they should or 
shouldn't wear and who they should or shouldn't play sports in front 
of.  I trust the values of the Kuwaiti women in my life to know for 
themselves what is in accordance with our values and traditions, and 
whether that includes a basketball game in shorts or a hejab.  I for 
one would be in the stands cheering them on." 
 
¶13.  Comment:  Despite intense backlash from some Kuwaiti extremist 
Islamists, the game achieved the goal of bringing together Kuwaiti 
and American women through their mutual love of sport, competition 
and engagement.  The Embassy plans to continue to pursue sports 
programming, which effectively engages Kuwaiti youth.  Kuwaiti women 
who want very much to participate in this type of event, and to have 
their daughters have this kind of opportunity, are grateful for our 
support.  In the weeks since the media coverage of the women's game, 
several newspapers have run more articles and pictures of Kuwaiti 
girls involved in sports activities.  The game attracted criticism 
of the Embassy from certain quarters, but we accept that as an 
anticipated and worthwhile consequence of this type of program. 
The implicit criticism against Kuwaiti women is disappointing, but 
not surprising.  Lately, Islamists have increased their attacks on 
women's sports and on music and cultural events in Kuwait.  During 
the game, most of the Kuwaiti players wore long sweatpants, 
long-sleeved shirts, and headscarves as part of their uniforms.  The 
coaches of both teams and their referees were men, as has been the 
custom.  Half of the audience was composed of men, most of whom were 
Kuwaiti family members and security personnel.  As with many such 
controversies, the writers who bashed the Embassy were not in 
attendance and merely used the event to further their Islamist 
agenda by creating a furor.  The Al-Fatat Sports Club graciously 
invited the American team and the Embassy to participate in this 
event and both CFLCC and Embassy Public Affairs worked hard to bring 
the teams together.  Regrettably, CFLCC opted not to host the 
women's rematch during the recent "Operation Hardwood II" basketball 
event held May 24-27, 2006 at Camp Arifjan (septel).  Photographs of 
the game are posted on the Embassy's Internet website at: 
http://kuwait.usembassy.gov/pr_04272006.html.  End comment. 
 
********************************************* * 
For more reporting from Embassy Kuwait, visit: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/?cable s 
 
Visit Kuwait's Classified Website: 
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/kuwait/ 
********************************************* * 
 
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