From US, Bush’s self-goal

His campaign produced an Olympic-themed TV commercial showing a swimmer and the flags of Iraq and Afghanistan. ‘‘In 1972, there were 40 democracies in the world. Today, 120,’’ the ad says. ‘‘And this Olympics there will be two more free nations. And two fewer terrorist regimes.’’

But some of the nation’s players say they resent the use of the team as a prop in the presidential campaign. Especially among other Arab states, the Iraqi team has struggled to be recognised on its own merit and not as a creation of American occupiers. ‘‘Iraq as a team does not want Bush to use us for the presidential campaign,’’ soccer player Salih Sadir told the website of Sports Illustrated magazine over the weekend, after demanding that US troops get out of Iraq. His teammate, Ahmed Manajid, was more forceful: ‘‘How will he (Bush) face his god after having slaughtered so many men and women?’’ he asked.

And after Iraq’s defeat of Australia on Saturday, Coach Adnan Hamad Majeed criticised Bush for ‘‘helping destroy our country’’.

Iraqi fans, too, are angry. ‘‘A lot of people are very upset,’’ Iraqi businessman Samir Ganni, who has been organising caravans of fans to Iraq’s Olympic games, said on Monday. ‘‘These victories are not because of Bush but because of our efforts and hard work. Some of the players are very unhappy with this and said if they weren’t in sports they would be fighting the Americans, like their relatives.’’

Anger among Iraqis grew when rumours circulated that Bush would attend the championship game this week if Iraq made it into the finals. (The presidents of the countries in soccer finals traditionally attend the event.) Bush’s campaign officials said the President was not planning to attend the Olympics, although Secretary of State Colin L Powell is expected to travel to Athens this weekend.

The US Olympic Committee has also raised concerns about the campaign ad, saying it may have violated copyright laws restricting general use of the name ‘Olympics’ as well as rules against using the Games to promote a political candidate. Bush’s campaign is defending the ad. ‘‘We’re very proud of that ad,’’ campaign director Ken Mehlman said Sunday on NBC’s Meet the Press. The creation of what he called two new democracies, Iraq and Afghanistan, is ‘‘something all Americans should be proud of. It’s not about politics. It’s about the fact that our nation has been successful in helping spread freedom all around the world.’’

On Monday, Iraqi athletes apparently had been ordered to keep quiet about the controversy. At a news conference with Iraq’s soccer coach in the city of Thessaloniki, where the Paraguay match will take place, a FIFA official instructed reporters not to pose political questions. Afterward, the leader of the Iraqi Olympic team, Tiras Odisho Anwaya, issued a plea to keep politics out of his game. But at the same news conference, Majeed said: ‘‘We cannot separate politics and sports.’’

Then an official with the Iraqi Olympic Committee told The Los Angeles Times that the soccer team had been asked to display Afghanistan’s flag along with their own banner at Iraq’s final game. They refused. A State Department official, however, denied any knowledge of such a request.

(LAT-WP)