Iraq hit by FIFA suspension

WORLD football's governing body FIFA has suspended Iraq from international competition, a move that could keep the Asian champions out of this summer's Olympic Games.

FIFA's executive board said the ban was in response to the Iraqi government's move to dissolve the country's National Olympic Committee and all of its national sport federations – a decision made as the government claimed the NOC lacked a quorum and had failed to hold elections. The ban takes immediate effect and the executive committee will recommend to the FIFA Congress, which meets in Sydney on Friday, that it suspends Iraq from all tournaments for one year.

Iraq would therefore miss their remaining 2010 World Cup qualifiers and this year's Beijing Olympics. However, FIFA has said it would agree to lift the ban if the Iraqi government overturned its decision by Thursday.