The Iraq football team made the final rounds of the tournament at the Athens Olympics. (Getty Images)(ATR) Iraqi athletes preparing for the Beijing Olympics will stay home instead of travelling to the Games. The IOC has told Iraq that its athletes are not able to compete in Beijingas a result of the national government decision to disband the National Olympic Committee of Iraq.
“We are very disappointed by this because we feel that the athletes have been ill-served by their own government's actions,” IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau tells Around the Rings.
“We regret very much that we were not able to find a solution and have a constructive dialogue with them. We were conscious of what this means for the athletes, having supported the NOC for a long time.”
Iraqi Olympic Committee general secretary Hussein al-Amidi described the move as a “a blow to Iraq and its international reputation, its athletes and its youth”.
Moreau says there has so far been no reaction from the Iraqi government to a letter dated July 23 informing ministers of the IOC's decision.
In the letter addressed to Iraqi Youth and Sports Minister Jassem Jaafar, the IOC said it was moving ahead with a ban provisionally imposed on the country's NOC last month.
“In spite of all the joint efforts of IOC and OCA [Olympic Council of Asia], over the last months to find a positive solution with the Iraqi government authorities, we regretfully inform you that the decision of the IOC executive board dated 4 June 2008 to suspend the National Olympic Committee of Iraq is confirmed,” said the letter.
“We deeply regret this outcome which severely harms the Iraqi Olympic and Sports Movement and the Iraqi athletes but which is unfortunately imposed by the circumstances,” it states.
The IOC Executive Board provisionally suspended the Iraq NOC June 4 in response to a government decree in May ordering the abolition of the NOC, citing “political interference”.
The IOC had warned that sanctions could be imposed after the committee and other sports bodies were disbanded.
“We invited the Iraq government to Lausanne for discussions but haven't received any positive reply,” says Moreau.
Up to seven Iraqi athletes were hoping to participate in the Beijing Games - two rowers, two sprinters, one archer, one weightlifter and one judo competitor.
But the IOC made clear in Thursday's letter that the deadline for entries in these sports except for athletics has now passed, extinguishing hopes that the Iraqi athletes could compete under the Olympic flag instead of the national flag.
“The quota places obtained through the qualification systems and the invitation The newly elected leaders of the reformed Iraq NOC in January 2004. Since then the president, secretary general and others have been lost to kidnapping. (ATR)places offered by the Tripartite Commission to Iraqi athletes have been withdrawn and re-allocated to other NOCs,” the IOC said.
Moreau says the “only slim hope that remains” of Iraq competing at the Beijing Olympics lies in athletics. Names of athletes are due with the IAAF at the end of July, but the Iraqi government must still reinstate the NOC for this to happen and that seems an unlikely turn of events.
Al-Amidi of the Iraqi Olympic Committee said he was informed Thursday morning of the IOC's decision to suspend the membership of the NOC.
“It's a final decision, there is no way to appeal. This means that Iraq will not take part in the coming Olympic games,” he was quoted by news agencies.
“I swear those athletes who have been training - they phoned me today and they were crying and were very upset.”
The IOC announcement is the latest episode of trouble for the Iraqi NOC which has endured the kidnapping of its leadership and assassinations of sports leaders and athletes in sectarian violence.
With reporting from Mark Bisson.
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