Sport in Iraq
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Sport in Iraq has a wide array of sports, played and followed in Iraq. Football is the most popular sport in Iraq and a considerable uniting factor following years of war and unrest. Basketball, swimming, weightlifting, bodybuilding, boxing, kick boxing, and tennis are also popular sports.
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[edit] Football
The Iraqi national football team are the 2007 AFC Asian Cup Champions after defeating Saudi Arabia in the final, held in Jakarta, Indonesia. In 2006, Iraq reached the football final of the 2006 Asian Games in Doha, Qatar after defeating former World Cup semi-finalists South Korea and eventually finished as runners-up, winning silver. The football tournament of the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece saw Iraq finish in fourth place, with Italy claiming bronze from a single goal.
The Iraqi Football Association is the governing body of football in Iraq, controlling the Iraqi national team and the Iraq Super League (also known as Dawri Al-Nokba). It was founded in 1948, and has been a member of FIFA since 1950 and the Asian Football Confederation since 1971.
Iraq's biggest football clubs are Al-Quwa Al-Jawiya and Al Shorta (based in Baghdad), Al-Zawraa (also based in Baghdad), Electric Club, and Najaf FC, which compete in Iraqi Super League.
[edit] Basketball
Further Information: Iraq national basketball team
In Iraq, there are at least two leagues, the Iraqi Basketball Association, the country's professional organization, runs a number of adult and youth leagues, and the Premier League, for elite players.
[edit] Basketball clubs
- Armenia Club
- Al-cheeky fellow Club
- Al Shorta (basketball) (based in Baghdad)
- Peshmerga Club, a Kurdish team
[edit] Kickboxing
Iraq has a world-champion kickboxer in Riyadh Al-Azzawi.
[edit] Wrestling
Iraqi professional wrestler Adnan Al-Kaissie is known as General Adnan.
[edit] References
[edit] Sources
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