[Red Warrior]

With three days to go before a vital 2010 World Cup qualifier, FIFA has provisionally lifted the one year international ban on Iraq.

Iraq will now be able to face Australia on Sunday in a qualification match for the 2010 World Cup. The two teams meet again six days later.

“This is great news,” Football Federation Australia chief executive officer Ben Buckley said in a statement.

“We’re truly delighted that the Iraqi Government, the Iraq FA and FIFA have sorted out the issues between them and the Socceroos and Iraq can get on the field to play this important World Cup qualifying match on Sunday.”

FIFA suspended Iraq on Monday after the Iraqi government dissolved the country's National Olympic Committee as well as various sports federations.

Subsequently, the world governing body received a letter from Baghdad confirming that Iraqi Football Association was exempt from the dissolution decree.

FIFA also announced that it still has concerns about political interference in Iraqi football and the decision to lift the ban is a conditional and provisional one.

Iraq, with one point from two Group One games, need a result in Brisbane. Australia sit in top spot with four points.

[Red Devil]

Good so they should, why should Iraqi footballers suffer for politicians? Only problem is



home games!

[abojodeh]

they will never make it to the world cup finals

[Red Devil]

thats not the point, they have every right to compete.

[abojodeh]

Originally Posted by Red Devil

thats not the point, they have every right to compete.

i know that the world cup not the point
but i know that there is 2 million iraqis in jordan that closed all the streets when they won the Asia cup and so we couldnt reach the hospital cuz the Iraqis closed the streets for celebrating and that is bad way of celebrating that they should be banned for it
plus 4 kids died by a speeding car that day cuz off the Iraqis kept racing
they should be banned

[Zenitka]

what a pity...

[dlan4327]

Originally Posted by abojodeh

2 million iraqis in jordan that closed all the streets when they won the Asia cup and so we couldnt reach the hospital cuz the Iraqis closed the streets for celebrating and that is bad way of celebrating that they should be banned for it
plus 4 kids died by a speeding car that day cuz off the Iraqis kept racing
they should be banned

That's very sad but it seems unfair to punish the Iraqi football team for what amounts to the mistakes of others.

Governemnt, unruly mobs, the players are copping all the flak. That's a real shame because they are truly inspirationa lfor what they've done.

They won the Asian Cup when they're governing bodies and indeed their country was falling down around them.

So the qualifiers are back on. World Cup, Australia Vs Iraq. Looking forawrd to it.