The International Olympic Committee has banned Iraq from allowing athletes to compete in the upcoming games in Beijing, for not complying with proper procedure. The newly formed government replaced its Olympic National Committee was persons not recognized by the IOC.
Gordon Hylton, Professor of Law at Marquette University, believes the barring was politically motivated with some being concerned with the "stability" of the government or its role as a government "propped by the US military."
Although the IOC is an independent autonomous body, the scholar says the political process can filter in as the panel selects its own leadership from its own ranks.
Only seven Iraqi competitors were planning on attending the games. Hylton says the IOC can change its mind but he adds it's unlikely.