Iraq will send eight athletes to the 2012 London Olympics after receiving an extra spot in weightlifting, an official said on Monday.
The country had been due to send seven athletes -- four men and three women -- to the games, but disqualifications in Asian qualifying tournaments over doping meant Iraq was allotted an extra slot.
"We received a notification from the International Weightlifting Federation on Monday that we can officially participate in the 2012 London Olympic Games," said Saleh Mohammed Kadhim, head of
Iraq's weightlifting federation and a member of the Iraqi Olympic Committee's executive office.
Iraq's team will be comprised of two runners, a swimmer, an archer, a shooter, a judoka, a weightlifter and a wrestler.
The country has historically fared poorly at the Olympics. Its only medal ever came during the 1960 Rome games, when Abdul Wahid Aziz secured a bronze in men's lightweight weightlifting.
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