IOC bans Iraq from the Olympics.

Looks like Iraq's going to the games after all!

OC lifts Iraq's Beijing Olympics ban

1 hour ago


LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AFP) — The ban on Iraq competing at the Beijing Olympics next month has been lifted, the International Olympic Committee announced here on Tuesday.


Iraq's compact Olympic contingent was cleared to take part in the 2008 Games after agreement was reached between the IOC and the Iraqi government at a crisis meeting at the IOC's headquarters in Lausanne.


As the deadline for competitors at the Games for all events except athletics passed on July 23 the Iraqi contingent will now number only two athletes - Haidar Nasir in the discus and sprinter Danma Hussein.


The lifting of the ban came about after the Iraqi government agreed on a series of steps leading to a fully functioning independent National Olympic Committee (NOC) in Iraq.


IOC president Jacques Rogge hailed the eleventh hour deal, saying: "We look forward to seeing the Iraqi flag in Beijing."

2 athletes are better than 0 athletes, IMO.