Beijing - Iraq - Olympic Games
Iraq banned from Beijing Games
Thursday 24 July 2008
Iraqi athletes will take no part in the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended Iraq for "political interference" in the country's Olympic committee.
Special Report On the Road to BeijingThursday 24 July 2008
By Reuters (text) / G. Couderc, N. Rushworth (video)Iraq has been banned from taking part in the Beijing Olympics because of a government decision to disband the Iraqi Olympic Committee, an official at the committee said on Thursday.
Iraq's government had disbanded the country's Olympic committee in May because of a dispute over how it had been
assembled.
"This morning we were informed of the final decision of the International Olympic Committee to suspend the membership of the Iraqi Olympic Committee," Hussein al-Amidi, the general secretary of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, said.
Iraq had planned to send a small team despite violence that has killed more than 100 athletes in the country since the 2003 U.S.-led invasion.
"It's a final decision, there is no way to appeal. This means that Iraq will not take part in the coming Olympic games. It is a blow to Iraq and its international reputation, its athletes and its youth," Amidi said.
"I swear those athletes who have been training ... they phoned me today and they were crying and were very upset."
"We sent a letter to the Iraqi government today saying that as the situation stands today it is unlikely to have Iraqi
athletes at the Beijing Games," IOC spokesperson Emmanuelle Moreau told Reuters.
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