The Olympic spirit…

“The committee which the government dismissed was elected in 2004, in line with the Olympic movement’s regulations.

Its chairman, Ahmad al-Samarra’i, and several other members were abducted by gunmen while attending a meeting in central Baghdad in July 2006.

 

They have not been seen since.

 

The Iraqi government said it took the move because the committee was corrupt and had not been functioning properly.”

 

BBC SPORT | Olympics | Iraq banned from Beijing Olympics