They may specialise in different disciplines but all of Iraq’s representatives to the 2012 London Olympics know all too well the struggle of training in a country which is dangerous and still rebuilding.
Iraq’s Olympic team heads to Britain hoping to secure medals, an achievement which could help solidify what remains a fragile national identity. But poor infrastructure and difficulties in training mean their chances, pitted against better-equipped and better-trained athletes, look slim. “Weapons and ammunition are all outdated — all of our equipment is old compared to other countries, Arab and European,” said Noor Aamer Jassim, who will be competing in air pistol shooting. But the 18-year-old is still hopeful.
“Sport is my life,” said the shy, headscarf-wearing youth who dreams of one day working full-time in the field. “I feel very proud to participate in the Olympics in London. I hope to win a medal, to see my country’s flag raised.” The small team is comprised of two runners, a swimmer, an archer, a shooter, a boxer, a weightlifter and a wrestler. Jassim is one of eight athletes — five men and three women — the youngest of whom is just 15 years old, heading to the Games which kick off in London on July 27. Iraq has historically fared poorly at the Olympics. Its sole medal came during the 1960 Rome Games when Abdul Wahid Aziz won a bronze in men’s lightweight weightlifting. The lack of success over the past decade has been put down to the dangerous security situation and poor sporting infrastructure that mean athletes often have to train abroad or on make-shift sites. Their nutrition and exercise programmes pale in comparison to more developed sporting nations. “We have at times experienced difficult situations when it comes to training,” admitted Adnan Taess who runs the 800 metres. “Training requires a good atmosphere and a stable situation.”
