Iraqi boxer relishes newfound freedom to fight in Titan Games

<p>For Najah Ali, liberation from the reign of Saddam Hussein means an opportunity to box for Olympic gold _ without fear of being tortured if he doesn't bring a medal back to Iraq.</p><p>The United States Olympic Committee formally announced Tuesday that Ali and two wrestlers _ Ahmed Jasim and Ahamad Weali _ will represent Iraq in the Titan Games, a pre-Olympics competition in Atlanta that begins June 18.</p><p>Ali already has qualified for the Summer Olympics in Athens.</p><p>When Hussein's son, Uday Hussein, ran the Olympics program in Iraq, athletes reportedly were tortured for failing to win.</p><p>Uday Hussein was killed and his father was captured by U.S. forces, and a new era for Iraqi athletes has been launched. One part of the new era is Iraq's new boxing coach _ Maurice "Termite" Watkins.</p><p>Watkins, a former Gold Gloves boxing champion from Texas who originally went to Iraq to help with pest control, has given the boxers new equipment, new hope and a new slogan: "Iraq is Back."</p><p>"One of the great things the team will tell you is they get to fight out of the love of the sport now, where one time they fought out of the fear of Uday," Watkins said Tuesday.</p><p>In the old days, an Iraqi athlete who failed to meet expectations might be disgraced by having his head shaved. That was considered light punishment.</p><p>"These guys don't like to talk about it," Watkins said. "They don't have to worry about getting their heads shaved because they didn't do good. They don't have to worry about getting disgraced, getting killed, getting tortured, or their families getting tortured."</p><p>Due to continued U.S. resistance in Iraq, there have been concerns that Ali and other boxers could face problems because they are training under an American coach.</p><p>"There are some bad people in Iraq but there are many, many good people," Ali said. "All my friends, my family, they supported me. ... I don't think anyone wants to hurt my family."</p><p>Added Ali: "My dream is to be in the Olympics. It is a big dream I have all my life. ... This is very big to me."</p><p>When Watkins was introduced to the boxers, he was shocked by the lack of equipment and a boxing facility.</p><p>"The first time I went to see them, over half of them were barefooted," Watkins said. "They actually boxed on a soccer field. ... They had no headgear, no mouthpieces, no groin protector."</p><p>The announcement that Iraq would send three athletes to the Titan Games came one day after Iran said it would sit out the event.</p><p>Mohammad Reza Taleqani, the head of Iran's Wrestling Federation, told The Associated Press the decision was made "because of the current situation in the holy cities in Iraq."</p><p>Taleqani said Iran might reconsider if U.S.-led coalition forces withdraw from holy cities in Iraq.</p><p>Greg Harney, the USOC's managing director of international affairs, said Tuesday Iran still had not given the U.S. any official word that it would not compete in Atlanta.</p><p>"We're still planning for them to attend," Harney said.</p><p>The Titan Games, which start June 18, feature boxing, fencing, judo, karate, shot put, tae kwon do, weightlifting and wrestling. Besides the United States and Iraq, other countries scheduled to participate are Canada, China, Colombia, Georgia, Germany, Mexico and South Korea.</p>

http://accesswdun.com/article/2004/5/168135