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War Every Day (eIraq Blog)
Video of the day: Iraq football team training in Baghdad for the first time since 2004

Jeff Severns Guntzel, Electronic Iraq

Oct 2, 2008

The Iraqi national football team is back in Baghdad. According to an Associated Press report, "Iraq sports adviser Bassam al-Husseini says the government has promised to not interfere in selecting players for the team." The team's successes, like its big Asia Cup win last year, have provided something extraordinary for Iraqis: something to cheer about.

A 2007 Washington Post story spoke of the targeting of athletes: "Victims have included the Sunni head of one of Iraq's leading soccer clubs, an Iraqi international soccer referee, a top player on the Iraqi Olympic soccer team and a national volleyball player." Iraqi authorities have pointed to the return as an indicator of an improved security situation in Iraq.

View the video here.