graymatters, I presume you are talking about those athletes that would be competing under the IOC's flag. I would assume that nobody will replace Iraq's national team with seven additional athletes. Why not let Iraq's teams participate. I think the IOC was going to allow the athletes to participate, just not under the Iraqi flag. I do plead ignorance on all of this. I had no idea that Iraq's national team was in jeopardy of being banned or that a banned country's athletes could compete under the IOC flag. Learn something new everyday, I do.
This happened with the Iraq football team in the week before a WC qualifier against Australia, when the government changed the membership of the Iraqi FA. In the end, FIFA 'investigated' and I believe a compromise was reached, with the game going ahead. Appearances and reality have a big part in this. Does anyone seriously think that in countries like China the government doesn't have a huge say in who is on various sporting bodies, as well as the national Olympic committee?
