Iraqi Olympic Committee Denies Lifelong Ban Claim Over Samer Abdulilah

The Iraqi Olympic Committee has denied claims that its Financial Secretary Samer Abdulilah was handed a lifetime ban, after the International Aquatics Federation’s judicial body confirmed it had issued no such decision. The committee said the document circulating on the issue was forged and was published by the Iraq Aquatics Federation. The committee added that the federation rejected the Iraqi decision in two official letters dated 17-18 May 2026. The dispute centers on a document that had spread publicly and was presented as an official ruling. Abdulilah said he will take legal action against those who prepared and circulated the forged document.