'Black day' says Iraq Olympic Committee

The Iraq Olympic Committee has described the decision by the International Olympic Committee to suspend the participation of their athletes in the Beijing Games as a "black day in the history of sports in Iraq". The IOC confirmed in an official letter yesterday that Iraq will be banned from competing just as seven Iraqi athletes were preparing to travel to China later this month. "Despite the best efforts of the International Olympic Committee, it seems v ery unlikely that any Iraqi athlete will compete at the Beijing Olympic Games," read the IOC statement. "The IOC would like to see Iraq's athletes in Beijing, and is disappointed they have been so ill-served by their own government's actions. "The deadline for taking up places for Beijing for all sports except athletics has now passed and as a result we must now reallocate a... [read full story]