US thieves Oust Iraqi Olympic Swimmers From Pool

["David Quarter" <davidquarter@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

[From Rick Rozoff]

---------------------------
http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=8&id=264032

Japan Times
June 23, 2003

U.S. troops oust Iraqi swimmers from pool
Kamal Taha


-"After three weeks of cleaning and repairing the
place, we were kicked out by US officials, who told us
not to return."
-"US soldiers are using the only suitable pool we have
in Iraq for their own entertainment. We have become
strangers in our own country," said Omar Faisal, a
member of the team.
-"I am asking the International Olympic Committee and
FINA to contact the US government to obtain the
departure of all American soldiers from all Iraqi
sports facilities."



BAGHDAD ? Iraqi swimmers hoping to make a splash at
the world championships in Barcelona next month are
having to train in the murky Tigris River because the
US Army have taken over the only Olympic-sized pool in
Baghdad for their troops, team trainer Faisal Sayed
Jaffar said Thursday.

Infantry Sergeant Billy Thierry, who is in charge of
the al-Qadissiya pool, said his orders were that the
Iraqi Olympic team were entitled to use the place only
from 6:00 to 8:00 am.

"This is totally unfair because most of the 12 members
of the Iraqi team are university students. In any
case, we need two three-hour training sessions, one in
the morning and one in the afternoon," Jaffar said.

Jaffar appealed to the International Olympic Committee
(IOC) and world swimming's governing body FINA to
intervene if they are to get their training schedule
back on track in time for the championships.

He said that when a wave of looting swept the country
following the US-led ouster of Saddam Hussein's regime
on April 9, team members rushed to the pool complex to
salvage what they could.

"After three weeks of cleaning and repairing the
place, we were kicked out by US officials, who told us
not to return," Jaffar said.

"All attempts by Iraqi officials to recover the pool
were in vain. Hence we have to train in the Tigris
even though the conditions are not suitable," he
complained.

Al-Qadissiya's indoor pool in eastern Baghdad was
built by a South Korean firm in 1983 and is the only
one with the specifications of sports competitions, in
addition to serving as headquarters for the Iraqi
Swimming Federation.

"Training in a river is very different from training
in a swimming pool," Jaffar explained.

"There are no walls to turn, the water is too troubled
to regulate movements and the pressure of the water on
the body is totally different. It will be very
difficult to compete with the world's top swimmers."

As a result, team members are not always showing up
for the training.

"US soldiers are using the only suitable pool we have
in Iraq for their own entertainment. We have become
strangers in our own country," said Omar Faisal, a
member of the team.

The swimmers meet every afternoon near al-Ima bridge
in northern Baghdad wearing ordinary shorts and
without swimming goggles since Uday Saddam Hussein,
the elder son of the deposed president who headed the
Iraqi Olympic Committee, liked only football and gave
nothing to the swimmers.

Jaffar said that after the orgy of looting that swept
Baghdad, he saw on street pavements lots of trunks and
goggles that had been tucked away in the cupboards of
the Olympic Committee.

"I am asking the International Olympic Committee and
FINA to contact the US government to obtain the
departure of all American soldiers from all Iraqi
sports facilities," he added.

The ash-Shaab stadium, where soccer tournaments used
to take place, and the Saddam basketball hall have
also been taken over by the Americans. (Middle East
Online)