NAGANO, Japan - Eleven Iraqi athletes are in high spirits as they make their country's debut in the winter Special Olympics, even though they lack the support -- down to the sporting gear -- that rich nations give athletes with disabilities.
Iraq is among 14 countries newly participating in the quadrennial winter sports event for the intellectually challenged, with a record 84 nations and territories sending more than 1,800 athletes to this winter resort city.
The Iraqi athletes, all competing in floor hockey, came to Japan equipped with nothing but one hockey stick each, a sign of how few resources have been devoted to people with mental disabilities in the nation reeling from dictatorship and war.
"Coming here from Baghdad itself is a big deal for our players," said Bassem Ahmed Mohammed, head coach of the Iraqi team in the game, modeled after ice hockey and ringette.
In floor hockey, athletes try to score goals by controlling a felt-made puck with sticks on a wooden floor rather than an icy one so players from non-snow countries are not at a disadvantage.
After arriving in Japan, the Iraqi players, who are mostly in their teens, were presented with the minimum of required equipment by Japanese host families. But their appearance in the ring still paled before fully geared athleted from other nations.
The Iraqi goalkeeper's leg protectors looked more like ones worn by baseball catchers, while his rivals had on the proper bulky protectors for ice hockey.
No matter what their attire, however, they proved themselves competitive in their first matches. While they suffered a narrow 4-3 loss against Belarus, they overpowered Gibraltar 5-2 on Sunday.
"I am happy," Jaafer Hussein Shmakh, Iraq's 15-year-old goalkeeper, who is mildly retarded, said after wearing the appropriate gear for the first time.
"I feel very good," Shmakh said with a big smile.
Cheers for the Iraqi squad from the spectators' seats hardly matched up to the booming support for big teams. The United States is the largest team with a 270-strong delegation, who got an extra boost Sunday with a surprise visit by former president Bill Clinton.
"But they are very happy because this was the first time" that the Iraqi players have put on protectors, said Mohammed, the coach.
"And once they get back to Baghdad and meet their friends at special schools there, they must be heroes," he said.
"This is the first step toward the future of the handicapped athletes of Iraq. It's very good and challenging."
Iraq made its debut in the summer Special Olympics in the 2003 games in Ireland.
Little support was given to people with mental disabilities during the rule of Saddam Hussein, and since his fall non-governmental assistance has been hindered by the uncertain security situation.
Advocates for people with disabilities have urged the new government to step up support, but acknowledge that the authorities have many other issues on their hands, not least putting down an insurgency and repairing a wounded economy.
Mohammed said his athletes were largely ignored in Iraq and that a long road was still ahead for people with disabilities in the war-torn nation.
Any concerns over a lack of money were overshadowed by fears for his players' safety as they train.
"It's still difficult to find a place to play the game" in Baghdad, Mohammed said.
The number of floor hockey athletes is just 20 in Iraq, including the 11 boys who are here, he said, adding that more needed to be done to raise Iraqi people's awareness of the significance of sports for people with disabilities.
02/28/2005 01:44 GMT