Iraq athletes cleared for Olympics

LAUSANNE, Switzerland - The International Olympic Committee ruled yesterday that Iraq could participate in the Beijing Games, reversing itself after Baghdad pledged to ensure the independence of its national Olympics panel.

The decision followed last-minute talks between Iraqi officials and the IOC ahead of today's deadline to submit competitors' names for track-and-field events. The Olympics begin Aug. 8.

Iraq's National Olympic Committee was dissolved by the Baghdad government in May, prompting the IOC to suspend the Mideast country from the Olympics for political interference.

The IOC had insisted the old committee be reinstated even though four members were kidnapped two years ago. Their fates remain unknown.

A compromise was worked out after mediators from Germany and China became involved in talks, and Iraq pledged to hold free elections for its national Olympic committee under international observation.

Iraq is expected to send two athletes to Beijing to compete in track-and-field events. The decision came too late for five other hopefuls in archery, judo, rowing and weightlifting. The deadline to submit names for those sports expired last week.

"The National Olympic Committee will have fair elections before the end of November," said Pere Miro, head of the IOC's department for relations with national Olympic committees.

In the meantime Iraq's Olympic organization will be run by an interim committee proposed by its national sports federations and approved by the IOC, he said.

"We want to forget all the past," Iraqi government spokesman Ali al-Dabbagh told the Associated Press after signing the agreement at a news conference. "We want to have real representation for the Iraqi teams and the Iraqi supporters."

The IOC last suspended Iraq in May 2003 - weeks after U.S.-led troops toppled Saddam Hussein's regime. That ban occurred after the IOC learned of the abuse of athletes by Hussein's son Uday, the country's former Olympic chief.

The suspension was lifted a year later, allowing Iraq to take part in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, where it fielded 25 athletes.

Iraq's soccer team made it to the semifinals, prompting celebrations throughout a country where sports fans have had little to cheer about in recent years as the war claimed the lives of athletes, coaches and staff.

The two athletes who will represent Iraq in Beijing have benefited from an IOC solidarity program that allowed them to train abroad, IOC spokeswoman Emmanuelle Moreau said.

Although the duo failed to meet the qualifications to go to Beijing, they were allowed to take part under the IOC's wild-card program designed to ensure that every country is represented at the Games.