IOC monitors possibility of Afghan team

LAUSANNE, Switzerland (AP) -- The International Olympic Committee said Tuesday it is too early to say whether Afghanistan will be able to send a team to the 2004 Summer Games in Athens.

Afghanistan is the only country barred from the Olympics by the IOC. The Afghan Olympic committee was suspended several years ago because of, among other things, the Taliban regime's policy of banning women from competing in sports.

But now with the Taliban removed from power, Olympic officials hope that Afghanistan can be reinstated and field a team -- including women -- in time for the Athens Games.

The IOC has ruled out any Afghan participation at the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City in February.

"The process is very complicated and complex," IOC director general Francois Carrard said. "I don't think as of now the priorities in Afghanistan are yet focusing on sport or participating in the Olympic Games.

"I think we have to wait some more to see the next developments. As soon as there is some opportunity, we will be renewing dialogue. Right now, I doubt if we sent anybody to Kabul we would have very constructive dialogue yet."

For Athens, Carrard said it would be difficult for Afghanistan to compete in any team sports because of the need to go through qualifying competitions.

But he noted how the IOC acted swiftly to allow several athletes from East Timor to compete in the 2000 Sydney Olympics after the region voted for independence from Indonesia. East Timor competed under the Olympic flag as "Independent Olympic Athletes."

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