IOC lifts ban on Iraqi athletes participating in the Beijing Olympics
From Wikinews, the free news source you can write!
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
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- 17 November 2009: Iraq threatened with expulsion from world football by FIFA
- 9 November 2009: Two US pilots killed in Iraq after helicopter crash
- 8 November 2009: Iraqi parliament approves delayed election law
- 2 November 2009: Suspected Iraqi bomber murders investigator
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has lifted a ban on Iraqi athletes participating in the Beijing Olympics. The IOC placed a ban on the country's participation on July 24 claiming a political influence within Iraq's national Olympic committee. This came after the Iraqi government's suspension of the National Olympic Committee (NOC) of Iraq in May 2008.
The decision to remove the ban is a result of the Iraqi government's agreement to allow free elections for their National Olympic Committee while under international scrutiny. "The National Olympic Committee will have fair elections before the end of November," said Pere Miro, Director of the IOC's relation with NOC's. In the meantime, Iraq's NOC will be run by a interim Committee approved by the IOC.
Even though the ban has been lifted, five of the seven athletes are still unable to participate due to the final date of selections having passed. Two athletes participating in sprinting and rowing are expected to compete.
There has been some who believed that Iraq has been treated wrongly in the matter of their NOC. Ahmed Tabour, head of the Cultural and Sports Committee stated that "Iraq was never suspended during the days of Saddam [Hussein], who personally appointed the national Olympic committee. The Iraqi people need hope, and sport gives them a lot of hope."
Related news
- "Iraq banned from participating in Beijing Olympics". Wikinews, July 24, 2008
Sources
- "IOC rescinds Iraq’s ban from Olympics". The Associated Press, July 29, 2008
- "IOC reverses ban, says Iraq can go to Olympics". Associated Press, July 29, 2008
- "Iraq gets OK for Beijing Games". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, July 29, 2008
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