Iraq at The 2008 Summer Olympics

Iraq At The 2008 Summer Olympics

Iraq competed in the 2008 Summer Olympics, held in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. As of late July, seven Iraqis—two rowers, a weightlifter, a sprinter, a discus thrower, a judoka and an archer—had qualified to compete in seven events in five sports at the Beijing Olympics, and twenty have qualified to take part in the Beijing Paralympics (see Iraq at the 2008 Summer Paralympics).

On July 24, 2008, it was announced that Iraq would be banned from the 2008 Olympics. After five days of negotiations, the International Olympic Committee lifted the ban. Five of Iraq's seven athletes missed the deadlines for their competitions, though the men's rowing team was allowed to compete by the International Rowing Federation, after North Korea declined the offer of places in rowing and they were re-allocated to Iraq.

Thus, Iraq has four representatives: Haidar Nasir in the discus throw, Dana Hussein in sprinting, and Haidar Nozad and Hamzah Hussein Jebur in men's double scull.