04/19/24
July 24, 2008
Iraq banned from Olympics: The interntional Olympic committee confirms a ban on Iraqi participation in 2008 games due to government interference.
posted by graymatters to other at 12:51 PM - 6 comments
Down deep inside I still love the Olympics but the excesses of the IOC make it difficult to wish the games well.I think the turning point for me was corruption at the Salt Lake City games. Why not let Iraq's teams participate.God knows they have very little to cheer about.
posted by sickleguy at 02:20 PM on July 24, 2008
Anyone who thinks that governments and politics are not involved in Olympic committees is an idiot I doubt anyone would disagree with that sentiment. I think the issue is more about whether or not they should be.
posted by TheQatarian at 02:22 PM on July 24, 2008
graymatters, I presume you are talking about those athletes that would be competing under the IOC's flag. I would assume that nobody will replace Iraq's national team with seven additional athletes. Why not let Iraq's teams participate. I think the IOC was going to allow the athletes to participate, just not under the Iraqi flag. I do plead ignorance on all of this. I had no idea that Iraq's national team was in jeopardy of being banned or that a banned country's athletes could compete under the IOC flag. Learn something new everyday, I do.
posted by THX-1138 at 02:22 PM on July 24, 2008
This happened with the Iraq football team in the week before a WC qualifier against Australia, when the government changed the membership of the Iraqi FA. In the end, FIFA 'investigated' and I believe a compromise was reached, with the game going ahead. Appearances and reality have a big part in this. Does anyone seriously think that in countries like China the government doesn't have a huge say in who is on various sporting bodies, as well as the national Olympic committee?
posted by owlhouse at 06:39 PM on July 24, 2008
me hates political crap
posted by dviking at 07:53 PM on July 24, 2008
Anyone who thinks that governments and politics are not involved in Olympic committees is an idiot (U.S. boycotting Olympics, USSR boycotting Olympics, etc., etc.). I would be interested in knowing which athletes have been allotted the places taken away from the Iraqi athletes.