Iraq at the 2008 Summer Olympics

Infobox Olympics Iraq
games=2008 Summer
competitors=4
sports=2
flagbearer=Hamzah Al-Hilfi

Iraq competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. As of late July, seven Iraqis—two rowers, a weightlifter, a sprinter, a discus thrower, a judoka and an archer [cite web |title=Iraq banned from Beijing Olympics |publisher=BBC |date=2008-07-24 |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7523708.stm |accessdate=2008-07-31 ] —had qualified to compete in seven events in five sports at the Beijing Olympics,cite news | url=http://www.upi.com/Sports_News/2008/07/24/Iraqi_team_barred_from_2008_Olympics/UPI-63801216922913/ | title=Iraqi team barred from 2008 Olympics | publisher=UPI | accessdate=2008-07-24 | date=2008-07-24] and twenty have qualified to take part in the Beijing Paralympics (see Iraq at the 2008 Summer Paralympics). [cite web |title=Iraq's Paralympic Fencing Team |work=International Herald Tribune |url=http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid959009704?bclid=1350269309&bctid=1636542789 |accessdate=2008-07-31 ]

On July 24, 2008, it was announced that Iraq would be banned from the 2008 Olympics. [cite news |last=Paley |first=Amit R. |coauthors=Amy Shipley |title=IOC Says Iraq Won't Be Allowed at Olympics |work=The Washington Post |date=2008-07-25 |url=http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/24/AR2008072401646.html |accessdate=2008-07-31 ] After five days of negotiations, the International Olympic Committee lifted the ban. [cite web |title=Olympic panel ends ban, says Iraq can go to games |publisher=Associated Press |date=2008-07-30 |url=http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gx1X43pDXJ1DrOBAFa2XjnMLHJmAD927NTVO0 |accessdate=2008-07-31 ] Five of Iraq's seven athletes missed the deadlines for their competitions, though the men's rowing team was allowed to compete by the International Rowing Federation, after North Korea declined the offer of places in rowing and they were re-allocated to Iraq. [ [http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/01/content_8890480.htm "Iraqi athletes competing at Olympics double to four"] , Xinhua, August 1, 2008]

Thus, Iraq has four representatives: Haidar Nasir in the discus throw, Dana Hussein in sprinting,cite web |title=Iraq to take part in Beijing Olympics |publisher=Xinhua News Agency |date= 2008-07-30 |url=http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/30/content_8847096.htm |accessdate=2008-07-31 ] and Haidar Nozad and Hamzah Hussein Jebur in men's double scull.cite web |title=Iraq rowers to compete in Beijing |publisher=International Rowing Federation |date=2008-07-31 |url=http://www.worldrowing.com/display/modules/news/dspNews.php?newid=324458 |accessdate=2008-07-31 ]

IOC ban

On July 24, the International Olympic Committee announced that it was banning Iraq from the Olympics due to political influence within Iraq's national Olympic committee.cite news | url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/olympics/7523708.stm | title=Iraq banned from Beijing Olympics | publisher=BBC| date=2008-07-24 | accessdate=2008-07-24] The decision follows the Iraqi government's suspension of the National Olympic Committee of Iraq in May 2008,cite news | url=http://www.iraqupdates.com/p_articles.php/article/31427 | title=MP accuses Sport Ministry of distorting Iraqi Olympic Committee's image | publisher=Iraq Updates | date=2008-05-23 | accessdate=2008-07-24] citing the lack of sufficient members for quorum and the consequent risk of corruption as concerns. [cite news | url=http://www.voanews.com/english/2008-07-24-voa26.cfm | title=IOC Bans Iraq From Beijing Olympic Games | publisher=VOA | accessdate=2008-07-24 | date=2008-07-24] The government appointed an acting panel led by Jasem Muhammad Jaafar, the Minister of Sports, in its place. The former chairman, Ahmad al-Samarra'i, the secretary-general and several other members of the committee have been missing after being kidnapped when attending a public meeting in July 2006.

Seven members of Iraq's team had qualified for the Olympics, and received sympathy from the United States after the ban was upheld. White House Press Secretary Dana Perino said, "I'm sure that the Iraqi athletes -- who have trained so hard, and were finally going to represent a country that is free, and sovereign, and working to establish its democracy -- they have to be terribly disappointed and I'm disappointed for the athletes as well." [cite news | url=http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iYgf0ad_NTI9tmNJ5wtzx1i_shog | title=White House 'disappointed' by Iraq Olympics ban | publisher=AFP | date=2008-07-24 | accessdate=2008-07-24] However, if the original committee were to be reinstated, Iraq's track and field team might still be able to compete. [cite news | url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/24/iraq.olympics/?iref=hpmostpop | title=Iraq banned from Summer Olympics | publisher=CNN | accessdate=2008-07-24 | date=2008-07-24] Iraq missed the July 23 entry deadlines for archery, judo, rowing and weightlifting, but the deadline for athletics is at the end of July.

On July 29, the IOC reversed their previous decision, ruling that Iraq could now participate in the Olympics, but only the two track and field athletes would be allowed to compete, as the others missed the deadlines for their respective sports. [cite web |last=Jordans |first=Frank |title=Olympic panel ends ban, says Iraq can go to games |url=http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080729/ap_on_re_mi_ea/iraq_olympics |work=Associated Press |date=2008-07-29 |accessdate=2008-07-29] . However, the International Rowing Federation allowed the qualified rowers to compete at the Games

Athletics

Iraq planned to send Dana Hussain, a sprinter who had qualified for the 100 and 200 metres. In the wake of the initial ban, despite being consoled by her coach, Abdul Rahman, who assured her that she could compete in the 2012 Olympics, Hussain noted "In this horrible situation, who can say I'll even be alive in 2012?" [cite news |title=Iraq banned from Summer Olympics |publisher=CNN |date=2008-07-24 |url=http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/24/iraq.olympics/index.html |accessdate=2008-07-31 ] Dana Hussain is the only athlete on the 2008 Olympic team to train within the war-torn country. In the end she only ran the 100m. Haidar Nasir represented Iraq in the discus throw.

Rowing

Haider Nawzad and Hamza Hussein participated in the men's double sculls and finished last of all competitors.

Men

Competitors unable to compete due to the missed deadline

Several athletes had qualified either regularly or as wildcards, but did not compete, due to Iraq having missed the entry deadlines for their events.

The country had planned to send an archer to the Olympics for the first time. The nation was awarded a spot in the men's individual competition via Tripartite Commission invitation; Ali Adnan would have become Iraq's first Olympic archer, [http://www.archery.org/UserFiles/Document/Olympic%20Games/2008_OG_Beijing/0713_OlympicQuota_Men.pdf FITA Olympic Qualification - Men] ] whereas Ali Mohamed Fakher was to participate as a wild card in the judo competition. [ [http://www.jbn.nl/nieuws/DU9255_Wildcards+Olympisch+judotoernooi+uitgedeeld.aspx Judo Bond Nederland] (Dutch)]

In addition to the NOC's suspension, weightlifter Mohammed Jassim was faced with a potential suspension from Olympic participation after news of his failure of a drug test at the Asian Weightlifting Championship were received. [ [http://tvnz.co.nz/content/1834464 TVNZ, Iraqi weightlifter faces Beijing ban, June 7,2008] ]

ee also

* Iraq at the 2008 Summer Paralympics

References

External links

* [http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1826760,00.html "Baghdad Outraged by Olympic Ban"] , "Time", July 25, 2008
* [http://www.iwebie.com/indias-2008-beijing-olympics-dreams "India's Misery in the Olympics, Iraq Cheers]