Iraq allowed back in Olympics

0 Comments | Oakland Tribune, Jul 29, 2008 | by Anonymous

The International Olympic Committee ruled Tuesday 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 Wednesday'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 nation 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, and Iraq pledged to hold free elections for its national Olympic committee under international observation.

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.

Iraq is expected to send two athletes to Beijing to compete in track and field events (sprinter David Hussein Abdul-Razzaq and discus thrower Haidar Nasir). 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.

-- Yelena Isinbayeva broke her own world record in the women's pole vault with a leap of 16 feet, 6 1/2 inches at the Monaco Grand Prix, the last major European meet before the Beijing Olympics. The Russian's previous mark of 16-6 was set in Rome on July 11. She is the reigning Olympic and world champion. Also, Asafa Powell ran his fastest 100 meters of the season, winning in 9.82 seconds. The time was eight-hundredths of a second slower than his previous best of 9.74, which set a world record in Reiti, Italy, in September. That mark was surpassed by fellow Jamaican Usain Bolt, who ran 9.72 in New York two months ago. American Darvis Patton was second in 9.98. Kerron Stewart won the women's 100 in 10.94, beating fellow Jamaican Sherone Simpson in a photo finish. American Torri Edwards was third in 11.02.

-- Marathon world-record holder Paula Radcliffe will join the British Olympic team this weekend in a bid to recover from injury (stress fracture in her thigh) in time to compete in Beijing on Aug. 17.

-- As expected, Morgan Hamm received clearance from the international gymnastics federation (FIG) to compete for the U.S. men's team in Beijing. FIG said it won't appeal the ruling by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) that Hamm deserved only a warning and not a suspension after testing positive for a prohibited substance May 24 during the national championships.

Hamm had been given a cortisone shot in his injured ankle May 2, something that is allowed but only if the proper paperwork is filed.

Motor sports

NASCAR apologized for the tire fiasco that ruined the Brickyard 400 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. A durability issue with the Goodyear tires forced NASCAR to call cautions every 10 to 12 laps Sunday to slow the action and force teams to change tires before they failed. The longest run under the green flag was 13 laps, and Jimmie Johnson took the win in the second-slowest race in the 15 years NASCAR has competed at Indianapolis.

"I can't say enough how sorry we are and it's our responsibility that we don't go through this situation again," said Robin Pemberton, vice president of competition. NASCAR must first figure out why Goodyear's tires struggled. The only thing that is certain is that the tire compound Goodyear selected was not strong enough when combined with NASCAR's new, heavier car.

-- Petty Enterprises will use three different drivers in the No. 45 Dodge over the next three races as it continues to evaluate the slumping NASCAR team. Chad McCumbee will attempt to qualify the car this weekend at Pocono Raceway.

Kyle Petty will try to qualify the car the next week at Watkins Glen, and Terry Labonte will drive it at Michigan. The No. 45, which is typically driven by Petty, is 41st in the Sprint Cup car owner standings.

-- Formula One's 10 teams created an association to safeguard their interests in response to rule changes proposed by the Federation Internationale de l'Automobile. FIA president Max Mosley has introduced a plan to decrease team budgets by 50 percent and improve fuel efficiency.

NHL

Center Steven Stamkos, the No. 1 pick in the 2008 NHL draft, signed a three-year deal with Tampa Bay. The 18-year-old's standard entry-level contract includes a yearly base salary of $875,000, as well as a maximum of $8.55 million in performance bonuses that could make the deal worth up to $11.175 million. Stamkos had 100 goals and 97 assists in 124 games over two seasons for Sarnia in the Ontario Hockey League.

Tennis

Roger Federer ousted Robby Ginepri 6-7 (2), 7-6 (5), 6-0 in his opening match at the Cincinnati Masters in Mason, Ohio. Federer, who had a first-round bye, could lose his No. 1 ranking to Rafael Nadal if he loses before the semifinals and the Spaniard wins the title. No. 6 Andy Roddick, the top-seeded American, withdrew just before his match with Philipp Kohlschreiber, citing neck and shoulder pain.