Iraq to row and wrestle its way to Asian Games glory

War-ravaged Iraq heads to the Asian Games for only for the second time in more than two decades, with a plan to row or wrestle its way to at least one medal.

Six Iraqi rowers have been training hard for the event in Guangzhou, China from November 12-27 and with not all of the 45 nations and territorites entering the competition their chances of medalling have improved.

But their ambitions go beyond that.

"The committee is placing its hopes on players in several events and wants to return from China with several medals," said Sameer al-Mussawi, a member of Iraq's Olympic Committee, which oversees international sports appearances.

Hopes also are pinned on the wrestling team, with officials saying that Iraq should produce a good show in what is traditionally one of their strongest sports. "We have chosen the best competitors for this event," said Mohammed Abdul Sattar, vice president of Iraq's wrestling union. "We hope our wrestlers will return with one of the medals.

"We are going to compete, not only participate." he added. The Doha Asian Games in 2006 were the first time Iraq participated since its 1986 appearance in New Delhi, when the country was locked in the 1980-88 war with Iran. Two years after ending that war, Saddam Hussein's forces invaded Kuwait and they ended up under United Nations sanctions that throttled everything in the country, including sports.

The Olympic Council of Asia subsequently imposed a ban on Iraq appearing at the Asian Games because of the invasion.

Saddam's military misadventures came to an end after the dictator was ousted in the 2003 US-led war. Since then, the country has been under American occupation, and wracked by sectarian violence and an Al-Qaeda insurgency.

Together with living standards, sports have suffered.

For many years, athletes and players have struggled with a host of problems, including lack of equipment and facilities, opportunities to practice or train abroad and little or no foreign expertise. AFP