Iraqi archery team to tour United States

DENVER (AP) -- An Iraqi archery team will compete in New York next week at the world championships and then will head to Washington and California.

The delegation, which will include at least six athletes among 11 people, was cleared by the U.S. State Department just in time for the World Target Championships in Central Park starting Monday.

The group will arrive in New York on Friday to begin training for the six-day event, one of several qualifiers for the 2004 Athens Olympics. About 600 archers from more than 80 countries will be competing in the sport's biggest world championships.

"This represents the culmination of a great deal of effort by a number of different groups," U.S. Olympic Committee spokesman Darryl Seibel said. "Everyone involved with this is interested in providing opportunities for these athletes to return to the international stage."

After the world championships, the Iraqis are expected to make an official trip to Washington, then head to an Olympic training facility in Chula Vista, Calif.

They also might take part in the U.S. Championships in Reading, Pa. later this month as unofficial competitors.

The idea for the tour began over a month ago as the Iraq war started winding down, but it took until this week to be completed.

Officials with USA Archery and the International Archery Federation invited a group of Iraqis to participate in the world championships last month. They all but gave up hope after learning it would likely take too long to clear their visas through the State Department.

The outlook changed about two weeks ago when the State Department notified USA Archery executive director Brad Camp there was still a chance they could be cleared in time.

Officials with the USOC and IOC also were involved with the process.

"I think it's great to include them," Camp said from New York. "And the fact that they can in the situation that they were in is a great opportunity for them and wonderful for the rest of the world."

Iraq also is expected to take part in swimming's world championships in Barcelona, Spain. The competition begins Sunday in what would be Iraq's first major international sports event since the U.S.-led invasion that toppled Saddam Hussein.

Officials with USA Wrestling are working to bring a group of Iraqi wrestlers to the world freestyle championships this September in New York.

 

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