FIFA rules out Iraq from international competition

Monday 26 May 2008

World governing body FIFA has suspended Iraq from international competition after the government in Baghdad dissolved several sports associations. The Iraqi football team will be ruled out of World Cup qualifiers and the Beijing Olympics.

World governing body FIFA Monday said it has suspended Iraq from international competition for a year after the government in Baghdad dissolved the Iraqi Football Association.
  
The FIFA Executive Committee, meeting here ahead of this week's FIFA Congress, said it made the sanction following an Iraqi governmental decree on May 20 to dissolve the Iraqi National Olympic Committee and all national sport federations, including the IFA.
  
The FIFA Executive made the proviso that the year suspension may be lifted if FIFA received written confirmation by midnight on May 29 from the Iraqi government that the decree has been annulled.
  
The suspension immediately threatens the staging of Iraq's World Cup qualifier with Australia in Brisbane on Sunday.
  
FIFA president Sepp Blatter earlier told reporters that if Baghdad did not comply with the world governing body's demand to revoke an immediate order dissolving the IFA it would suspend it from playing internationals, effectively preventing it from qualifying for the 2010 World Cup finals.
  
"We have asked the government to withdraw its decision against the Iraq Football Association," Blatter said before the FIFA decision.
  
"Can you imagine the reaction of the (Iraqi) people if we had to suspend them from football? I think the minister should think twice about what he has done."
  
The Asian Football Confederation has also demanded that Iraq reinstate its football body.
  
Iraq, the current Asian champions, played a warm-up match in Bangkok on Sunday and were scheduled to fly to Australia on Tuesday.
  
Football Federation Australia (FFA) said it stands to lose about three million dollars (2.9 million US) in gate takings and sponsorship if the World Cup qualifier does not go ahead this weekend.
  
If the FIFA suspension is carried through then all of Iraq's fixtures would become forfeits, handing the Socceroos a free ride to the next stage of qualifying.
  
"It's a vexed question. Obviously we want to be in the World Cup, but we also want to beat Iraq. If we get points we haven't worked for, of course we will take them," FFA chairman Frank Lowy said earlier Monday.
  
"But we will also lose money, and the fans will be disappointed if the game does not go ahead."
  
Australia are also scheduled to play Iraq in Dubai on June 7.