Iraq Banned From 2008 Olympics

In spite of the continuing violence in their occupied country, Iraq had been planning on sending a small contingent to the 2008 Olympics in China. They had two rowers, a weightlifter, a sprinter, a discus thrower, a judoka and an archer that were hoping to make the trip. But it doesn't look like that will be happening now.

The International Olympic Committee has announced that Iraqi athletes will not be allowed to compete in the upcoming Olympics. IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said, "The deadline for taking up places for Beijing for all sports except athletics has now passed. The IOC very sadly has now to acknowledge that it is likely there will be no Iraqi presence at the Beijing Olympic Games, despite our best efforts. Clearly, we'd very much like to have seen Iraq's athletes in Beijing. We are very disappointed that the athletes have been so ill-served by their own government's actions."

Iraq was banned because the puppet Maliki government replaced the duly elected Iraq Olympic Committee with government appointees last May. On June 4th the IOC placed a ban on Iraqi athletes, because a country's olympic committee must be free from government influence accoding to the IOC charter.

The IOC had asked the Iraqi government to meet with them in Switzerland to try and remedy the situation, but the Iraqis ignored that request. Once again the ineffectual puppet government in Iraq has shown it is incapable of completing any task it is given.

It's too bad the Iraqi athletes will not be allowed to compete, but the IOC should not be blamed. The blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the Iraqi government.