Rio Olympics 2016: Fehaid Al-Deehani makes Olympic history as first athlete to win gold under Independent flag
FEHAID AL-DEEHANI made Olympic history by becoming the first athlete to win gold under the Independent flag.
The Kuwaiti marksman beat Italian Marco Innocenti to win gold in the men’s double trap event on Wednesday.
He had previously claimed bronze in Sydney in 2000 and at the London Games four years ago.
Al-Deehani, 49, is one of nine competing as an Independent Olympic Athlete at Rio 2016.
The army officer was forced to take part as a neutral after Kuwait was suspended by the International Olympic Committee over government interference in sport.
It was the first time an independent athlete has won a medal since Barcelona 1992, when a silver and two bronzes were won in shooting.
After claiming gold, he said: “That was for my country, for the people who don't want us to participate in the Olympics.
“I'm showing them that we are here and we got the medal.”
Who are the Independent Olympic Athletes?
FEHAID AL-DEEHANI is one of nine taking part for the ‘Independent Olympic Athletes’ in Brazil.
The team is composed of Kuwaiti athletes who are competing under the Olympic flag.
The Olympic anthem is played if any IOA athlete wins a gold medal.
Kuwait was suspended by the IOC last August after legislation was passed allowing government to interfere in elections of various national sport federations.
The country has also been banned by football governing body Fifa.
Russian doping ‘whistle-blower’ Yulia Stepanova applied to compete as an independent athlete in Rio after her country’s athletics team was banned.
But the request was turned down as it was ruled she did not “satisfy the ethical requirements for an athlete to enter the Olympic Games.”
Since 1992, independent athletes have competed in the games for various reasons.
At the Barcelona Games, Yugoslavian and Macedonian competitors participated under the Olympic flag due to the rapidly changing political situations in the Balkans at the time.
In 2000, athletes from East Timor were independent, as their country had not yet formed a federation.
And in 2012, athletes from recently dissolved Netherlands Antilles and one athlete from newly formed South Sudan competed under the flag.
Al-Deehani – who was competing in his sixth games – was already Kuwait’s most decorated Olympic athlete and refused to carry the IOA flag during the opening ceremony in Brazil.
He competed in a plain blue sweatshirt and refused to celebrate on the podium as the IOC anthem was played.
Tearful Al-Deehani added: “It hurts very much. I can't describe my pain. It is too sad.”
Britain’s Steven Scott shot a perfect 30 out of 30 to defeat compatriot Tim Kneale in the bronze medal match.