الرشـــــدان ... مســــــيرة وعطاء
In the memory of Kuwait history of sports AHMED ALRASHDAN EX-KAAF President
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The first pioneers played an important and effective role either in an abstract or concrete from in supporting and developing the sports movement, whether in the administrative field of planning, organization and supervision or in the technical field as in preparation and training.
There is no doubt that these pioneers affected the following generations because they were good symbols to those followed them.They did their best and their great achievements did us proud .
They devoted their efforts for the benefit of the public and it was feasible for them to achieve the desired objectives and cultivate good relations because they worked in a democratic atmosphere. They took the opportunity , through continuous estimation and planning , to encourage and develop the available human resources and put them in leadership positions which every sportsman is proud of.
Ahmed Suleiman AL-Rashdan AL-Fahad was born in 1984 and started his sports career as a footballer . He turned to athletics when he was a student in the Teacher's Institute . He later graduated as a teacher and was the Headmaster of Abdullatif AL-Saleh preparatory school. His son Bashar Ahmed Suleiman AL-Rashdan AL-Fahed is presently Engineering and is mirror image of his father.
He practiced sports in AL-Arabi Sporting Club at the beginning of 1960 in the athletics team with his colleagues Abdulla AL-Musallam (KAAF President) and Abdulla AL-Wazan .
The practiced hammer throw under the supervision of their coach Mr. Azmi Abdel Khaled Mustafa who tried to spread the sport of hummer throw in Kuwait . The competition between the three champions was great and this encouraged many athletes to train in the field of hammer throw.
He supervised the Qadisia athletic club from 1969 to 1971 which generated many Kuwaiti athletic champions, and he moved from practicing athletics to coaching . He joined a coaching course in the National Academy of sport Education in Budapest in Hungary in 1970.
He participated in the course with his colleagues Abdulla AL-Musallam, Awad AL-Farhan , Hussein Khudier, Taymour Lank Shukry and Shawky Kazem.Each of them received diplomas in their respective specialty.
After receiving the coaching Diploma, he trained the athletic team in Kazma club and participated in coaching and officiating courses that were held by KAAF. He officiated in the national championships that were organized by either the KAAF or the Ministry of Education.
He trained the Kuwait Athletic National Team, and he was nominated for the sports Federation and was elected as the youngest member of KAAF in 1970 to 1973. His interest was in studying and developing athletics in technical , administrative and organizational matters.
He was not only elected as member of the KAAF but later was also appointed as the General Secretary from 1973\74 to 1984\85. He was sincere and dedicated to his work , his colleagues and his friends.
He was the backbone of athletics and gave his time , money and efforts to push athletes and athletics forward . Sometimes, he did the layout of the Kaifan track himself whether in hot or cold weather so that the stadium could be ready for competitions. This affected his health but he did not complain.
He loved athletics and although the possibilities were limited, his desire to serve the youth of his country, pushed him to present time and money.
He participated in the membership of technical, coaches, referees planning and financial committees of KAAF. He spent his time and effort in these committees and this made him acquire a great deal of knowledge in the field of athletics.
He was the first who paid attention to the psychological factor of the athletes and the necessity to assist them in their psychological problems during training and competitions. He ensured his presence with the athletes before any event to give them self-confidence and moral support.
He believed in the Arab Union that was spread in the Arab World during 1975. During the IAAF conference in Rome along with his colleague Mr. Abdel Kareem Abdul Redha he discussed the idea with the representatives of Arab Athletic Federations. He was elected as a vice-president at that time.
He was elected as a member of Kuwait Olympic Committee 78\980 and Kuwait Olympic committee assistant treasurer from 90\81 to 84\85. He participated in the activities of the National and International meetings and conferences of KOC and as a member of its delegations to Moscow Olympic Games in 1980 and Los Angeles Olympic Games in 1984.
He was assistant general secretary of Kazma Sporting club from 1981\83 when it was allowed to combine between the membership of club and Federation at the same time.
In an effort to succeed the Asian championships, he corresponded with all the participating countries regarding the preparations of the championships and to issue technical and press coverage of the delegation. The Asian congress and member of KAAF nominated him for Athletic Veteran Pin that is presented by IAAF approved to honor him during the 22nd Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984 in the USA. He said the veteran Pin is on the chest of the Kuwaiti leaderships, people and champions and is a pride to Kuwait athletics and to all the participants. Thank God for.
Due to his sincere effort in the national and international Olympic sports, the Kuwait Olympic Committee granted him the Appreciation Certificate of Service for the sports Movement in 1985.
Due to the importance of the Sports press, news and champions of athletics, KAAF issued a specialized sports magazine in Arabic and English in 1981. Mr. Ahmed S. AL-Rashdan was the editor of the first Arab sports color magazine issued in the Arab world. The issue of the magazine continued till the end of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 1984.
It was rewarded the Press Pioneer from the first world Athletic Championships-Higher Organizing Committee in Helsinki Finland in 1983. Mr. Ahmed S. Al-Rashdan AL-Fahed died on June 02,1990 at the young age of 42.
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