Kuwait has stepped down as host of December's Gulf Cup of Nations, its cabinet said Monday, following FIFA's decision last week to suspend the country's football association. FIFA said the ban was handed down because of government interference in the running of the KFA. Kuwait was also banned twice for government interference in 2007 and 2008 but the latest suspension could have ramifications for the February election that will decide the new president of world soccer's governing body. The emirate is home to influential sports power broker Sheikh Ahmad Al-Fahad Al-Sabah. He is a former oil minister, honorary president of the KFA, a FIFA executive committee member and president of the Association of National Olympic Committees. Sheikh Ahmad carries significant sway in the 47-member Asian Football Confederation. Qatar beat host Saudi Arabia 2-1 to win last year's Gulf Cup. Asian federation bans 5 in Nepal The Asian Football Confederation has banned the four players and an official who were arrested in Nepal last week amid an investigation into match-fixing. Nepal captain Sagar Thapa and four others were arrested last Wednesday and accused of taking money from bookmakers in Malaysia and Singapore to lose matches. A police official said the alleged match-fixing dated from 2009 and included matches against Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Malaysia and the Philippines. The AFC issued a statement Monday saying a year-long investigation in conjunction with Sportradar and Nepali police resulted in the provisional suspensions, and it had asked the sport's international governing body to have them imposed worldwide. The other players identified were Bikash Singh Chhetri, Sandip Rai and Ritesh Thapa, and the official is listed as Anjan KC. Malaysia champ wants probe The president of the Malaysian soccer champion has called on FIFA to investigate the local football association (FAM), saying it had failed to tackle corruption and was hoarding broadcast revenues from the clubs. Tunku Ismail ibni Sultan Ibrahim, whose Johor Darul Ta'zim FC has won back-back Super League titles and is through to the final of the regional AFC Cup, said the FAM was culpable for the country's slide to a worst-ever FIFA ranking of 171st after a record 10-0 defeat to United Arab Emirates last month. — Agencies
