Skip to main content
BBC NEWS / MIDDLE EAST
Graphics VersionBBC Sport Home
News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |
Saturday, 16 June 2007, 13:41 GMT 14:41 UK

Athletes' remains found in Iraq

The decomposed bodies of 13 members of an Iraqi taekwondo team seized a year ago have been found, officials say.

Fifteen members of the team had been abducted last May in Anbar province, an al-Qaeda stronghold west of Baghdad, on their way to a training camp in Jordan.

The bodies were found in western Iraq, near the town of Ramadi. Two of the team are still missing.

In the past two years many Iraqi sports officials have been seized in sectarian attacks or held for ransom.

Olympic hopes

Members of the Sunni Anbar Salvation Council, a group fighting al-Qaeda in the province, found the remains of the 13 taekwondo team members, Iraqi police said.

"We were hoping that we would see them alive and competing for their country in international championships"
Hussein al-Obeidi
Iraq Olympic Committee


The remains - including bones, skulls and shreds of uniforms - were taken to Imam Ali Hospital in the Shia neighbourhood of Sadr City, Baghdad.

DNA tests will be used to identify the athletes, a hospital official told Associated Press news agency.

The athletes were members of a club that aimed to send competitors to the Olympics, Hussein al-Obeidi, secretary-general of Iraq's National Olympic Committee, told AP.

Iraqi taekwondo team member's mother

"We were hoping that we would see them alive and competing for their country in international championships," Mr Obeidi said.

Hundreds of mourners gathered in Sadr City on Saturday at a funeral procession for the athletes, who will be buried in the Shia holy city of Najaf.

Last year, an Iraqi international football referee, a member of the Iraqi Olympic football team and a national volleyball player were abducted.

Iraq's national wrestling coach was killed in Baghdad, while 30 other Iraqi sports officials, including the chairman of Iraq's Olympic Committee, were also seized from a sports conference in Baghdad.

Some were victims of sectarian attacks or held for ransom, others were targeted by radical Islamists who disapproved of their activities.



E-mail this to a friend

RELATED INTERNET LINKS
Iraqi National Olympic Committee
The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites



SEARCH BBC NEWS: 

News Front Page | Africa | Americas | Asia-Pacific | Europe | Middle East | South Asia | UK | Business | Health | Science & Environment | Technology | Entertainment | Also in the news | Have Your Say |

NewsWatch | Notes | Contact us | About BBC News | Profiles | History

^ Back to top | BBC Sport Home | BBC Homepage | Contact us | Help | ©