IOC lift Iraq Olympic ban

ATHENS: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) allowed Iraq on Tuesday to send a two-athlete team to next month's Beijing Games in a last-minute deal ending a dispute with the Iraqi government.

Iraq was banned last week after the government disbanded the country's National Olympic Committee (NOC), a move that angered the IOC.

Iraqi government officials met with IOC officials in Lausanne on Tuesday in a desperate attempt to iron out differences in time to send a team consisting only of two track and field athletes to the Games opening on Aug 8.

Registration deadlines for all other sports had passed.

“I commend the government of Iraq for reaching an agreement that serves the long-term interest of Iraqi athletes,” IOC President Jacques Rogge said in a statement.

“We have said all along that we want to see Iraqi athletes in Beijing. We look forward to seeing the Iraqi flag in Beijing.”

The IOC said it was agreed Iraq could send a team to Beijing but added the NOC had to hold new elections.

“The agreement also calls for the transparent and fair election of a new, independent Iraqi National Olympic Committee, no later than the end of November 2008,” the IOC statement said.

The Iraq government disbanded the NOC in May because of a dispute over how it had been assembled.

The IOC gave Iraq a deadline to reinstate the old committee but the government refused to back down. – Reuters