Iraq have withdrawn from the football tournament of this month’s Asian Games in Jakarta, potentially throwing the competition into turmoil less than two weeks before kickoff.
The Iraq Olympic Committee have pulled the team from the event, according to a source in Baghdad, and the decision will leave officials needing to address an imbalance in the opening phase of the tournament.
Last week the Asian Football Confederation conducted a redraw of the competition’s group stage to add Palestine and the United Arab Emirates after the pair had been left off the original entry list.
That meant two of the six groups swelled from four teams to five, but Iraq’s withdrawal now means one group — containing China, Timor Leste and Syria — will feature just three countries.
The Olympic Council of Asia, the organizers of the Asian Games, have yet to respond to a request from Reuters for comment.
A source at the Iraq Football Association had initially denied reports the team would be removed from the competition and that the squad’s preparations were being finalized following the completion of a training camp in the northern city of Irbil.
Earlier this week, football officials were reported to have been fired over their involvement in the selection of overage players for the nation’s under-16 team after they were stopped at passport control on their way to participate in a regional tournament.
The withdrawal of Iraq’s footballers follows a decision by the Philippines not to send the nation’s basketball team to Jakarta in the aftermath of their on-court brawl with Australia during a recent World Cup qualifier.
The football tournament at the Asian Games begins on August 10 and features teams made up of players 23 years of age and under. Coaches are permitted to select three overage players.
The final will be played on Sept. 1.
Meanwhile the Iraq Football Association have formally offered Sven-Goran Eriksson the job as head coach of the national team.
It is understood that Eriksson, who met officials from the Iraqi FA in Istanbul last week, has been offered a three-year deal which will cover the Asia Cup and World Cup qualifiers.
The former England boss, who has been linked with the Cameroon head coach job, is expected to let the Iraq FA know his decision on the offer next week.
The 70-year-old Swede has been coach of three international teams, Mexico and Ivory Coast, on top of his time as boss of the Three Lions. His most recent managerial roles have all been in China where he has enjoyed mixed success.
Iraq football team withdraws from Asian Games to leave tournament in turmoil
Iraq football team withdraws from Asian Games to leave tournament in turmoil
- Competition into turmoil less than two weeks before kickoff.
- The withdrawal of Iraq’s footballers follows a decision by the Philippines not to send the nation’s basketball team to Jakarta in the aftermath of their on-court brawl with Australia
‘Worst’ Australian team in 15 years retains the Ashes against England
- It took all of 11 days — two in Perth, four in Brisbane and almost a full five in Adelaide — not quite a record for clinching an Ashes series but not too far off
LONDON: Apparently, the worst Australian cricket team in 15 years just won the Ashes with two matches to spare against the best England squad assembled since 2011.
Long-time protagonist Stuart Broad lit the fuse ahead of a volatile contest for the longest-running rivalry in test cricket when he described the host squad as the worst to contest the Ashes in Australia since England won the 2010-11 series Down Under.
The 167-test veteran played two matches for England in that winning series.
Since then, a drought has extended to 16 losses, two draws and no wins for England on Australian soil.
Marnus Labuschagne, who produced a spectacular catch to help hasten the end of England’s dogged last-day comeback in the third test on Sunday, reflected on the pre-series pronouncements by Broad and others.
“Have to say, being called the worst Australian team in 15 years … like it’s nice to be sitting where we are, 3-0 up,” he told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. “The job’s not done yet. We want to make sure it’s 5-0 and really take that urn.”
It took all of 11 days — two in Perth, four in Brisbane and almost a full five in Adelaide — not quite a record for clinching an Ashes series but not too far off.
Chasing what needed to be a world record for victory, England was all out for 352 in pursuit of 435, giving Australia an 82-run win. By going the distance, the third test drew a total crowd of 223,638.
The Barmy Army of traveling England supporters was in full voice as England took the record-chasing fourth innings into the penultimate session at the Adelaide Oval, but ultimately it was the Aussies crowing about yet another dramatic win.
It’s true, Australia had a patched-up squad, with skipper Pat Cummins missing the first two tests while he continued recovery from a back injury. Josh Hazlewood was ruled out for the series. That left Mitchell Starc as the only member of the regular pace triumvirate available for the first two tests. When offspinner Nathan Lyon was dropped for the second test, Starc was the only member of Australia’s longtime bowling quartet in the lineup.
He led from the front, with two man-of-the-match performances. With three of the last four wickets in Adelaide, he has 22 for the series and 51 for the calendar year.
“We just found a way, which I think is a feature of this group over a number of years now,” Starc said. “Even at times where it’s not going our way, we can find a way to get ourselves over the line.”
In the batting lineup, there were questions over who would open and who would bat at No. 3. Steve Smith led the team in the absence of Cummins in Perth and Brisbane but was ruled out of the third test because of vertigo. Usman Khawaja was rushed back into the lineup to replace him and helped hold things together in the first innings.
Cummins said the Australian players took the attitude of just playing what’s in front of them.
