Prague, June 30: The International Olympic Committee has vowed to help Iraqi athletes take part in the Athens 2004 Olympics, it was announced here today. Executive director of Olympic games Gilbert Felli said the IOC's executive board had approved plans to identify top Iraqi athletes and help them prepare for the 2004 games. The athletes risked being barred from the Athens games after the disbanding of the Iraq National Olympic Committee following the downfall of Saddam Hussein. Only an NOC can put forward athletes to compete in the games but after an IOC fact-finding trip to Iraq for meetings with members of the interim government and sport officials earlier this month a list of top athletes is to be drawn up. "The athletes will get all the support they need", said Felli.

If necessary they will be helped to travel abroad for training.

They will also be helped to compete in top-level competitions in the build-up to 2004.

But Felli added it was too soon to say if the Iraqi athletes would march under the Iraqi flag or the Olympic flag.

Bureau Report