Baghdad, Iraq, August 8, 2024: The Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee of Iraq, Haitham Abdul Hamid, has stated that the country was already focused on the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics, and the failure to win a medal in Paris would not deter the spirit of the NOC or the national federations.
Iraq fielded 22 athletes in five sports in Paris with the 18-strong men’s football team taking the lion's share.
“Our President, Dr. Aqeel Muftin, was only elected eight months ago and he had very little time to make an impact on these Olympics. But he has a great vision and ambition, and will create the right environment for our athletes looking ahead to Los Angeles 2028,” the NOC Secretary General said.
“Along with the national sports associations and the support of the government, we will work hard and we will do our best to reach the top in the global sporting ranks and strengthen Iraq’s position,” Abdul Hamid said.
He added: “The preparation of an Olympic champion needs years of commitment and this is what we have in our future strategy."
Iraq fielded one male athlete in each of athletics, judo, swimming and weightlifting. The men’s football team failed to make it past the group stage after losing to Argentina 3-1 and Morocco 3-0. They defeated Ukraine 2-1 in their opening match but it wasn’t enough to advance to the knockout stages.