Iraqi Wrestlers to Train in U.S.

In a move that highlights the intent of senior U.S., international and Olympic officials to have an Iraqi team take part in the 2004 Summer Games in Athens, the U.S. Olympic Committee said Thursday that it would play host at its Colorado headquarters to an Iraqi wrestling delegation training for the Games.

Four Iraqi wrestlers and two coaches will arrive soon at the USOC’s Colorado Springs base for an “extended training program,” the USOC said. The delegation will include two freestyle wrestlers and a coach, and two Greco-Roman competitors and a coach, it said.

The announcement follows elections last week in Iraq that saw the formation of a new Iraqi Olympic Committee. The International Olympic Committee is expected to announce soon that Iraq is again a member in good standing of the Olympic movement; the Iraqi committee had been suspended in May after reports of abuse under Uday Hussein, a son of ousted President Saddam Hussein, who oversaw Olympic sports in the country.

Once Iraq is readmitted, there remains the complicated issue of which Iraqi athletes will take part in the Games. They must meet qualification standards in the various sports, which in many cases will prove a challenge, or gain waivers. An Iraqi team probably will feature athletes from track and field, swimming, wrestling, weightlifting, boxing and, perhaps, taekwondo.

Ahmed Al Samarrai, the newly elected president of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, said in a statement that he was “deeply grateful” Iraqi wrestlers will be able to train in Colorado Springs.