This sucks.
Iraq banned from Summer Olympics
BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- The International Olympic Committee has banned Iraq from competing in the upcoming Summer Olympics because of what it says is political interference by the government in sports...
...The move stems from an Iraqi government decision in May to suspend Iraq's Olympic Committee and form a temporary committee to handle its duties.
The Iraqi government thought the committee had not been operating properly and as a result undermined the sporting movement in Iraq.
The government said the original committee held meetings without quorums and had officials serving in one-year posts for more than five years. Many of the officials also lived outside Iraq, the government said.
BBC LINK (http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/olympics/7523708.stm)
CNN LINK (http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/meast/07/24/iraq.olympics/?iref=hpmostpop)
SKY NEWS LINK (http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,14935_3861123,00.html)
Dispite the slanted reporting from the CNN article (where this clip is from) first glance seems that the IOC are the asshats in the black hats this time around, not the Iraqi gub'mint.