Taleban angry over Olympic accreditation withdrawal

In Afghanistan, the Taleban have criticised the International Olympic Committee, the IOC, for its withdrawal of an invitation for two Afghan observers to attend the Sydney Olympics.

The secretary-general of the Taleban's Olympic committee, which is not recognised by the IOC, said that the international body's change of heart amounted to religious and racial discrimination.

On Friday, the IOC said it had withdrawn accreditation for the observers because the Taleban was attempting to make political capital from it by arguing that accreditation amounted to recognition of the Taleban's Olympic committee -- or even of the Taleban regime.

The Taleban have denied any attempt to misrepresent the significance of the invitation.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service