Iraqi Athletes Banned from 2008 Olympics

The International Olympic Committee has banned Iraq from participating in the olympic games this summer in Beijing. Papers indicate government meddling with the committee assigned to Iraq despite protests from the Iraqi government on the matter. The IOC’s decision will prevent Iraq’s seven athletes from representing the country in 2008. Iraq has been banned from international athletic competition before, although the circumstances were dramatically different. For example, the Iraqi soccer team was not permitted to compete internationally when it was learned Saddam Hussein’s sons would torture and kill the players for losing (from ‘Voices of Iraq’ video).