Shafaq News- Baghdad

The Iraqi National Olympic Committee on Thursday denied reports that its financial secretary, Sarmad Abdul-Ilah, had been handed a lifetime ban from all aquatics-related activity over harassment and abuse violations, describing the document circulated on social media as a forgery.

In a statement, the committee said it had received an official letter from Raymond Haak, chair of the Aquatics Integrity Unit at World Aquatics, categorically refuting the claims and confirming that his panel had issued no decision whatsoever against Abdul-Ilah.

Abdul-Ilah said Thursday he intends to pursue all available legal remedies, at both the domestic and international level, against the party or parties responsible for forging and disseminating the alleged ruling.

The document had circulated on Wednesday, purportedly issued by the Aquatics Integrity Unit (AQIU), and claimed Abdul-Ilah had been banned for life from aquatics activities following a finding of harassment, abuse, and integrity violations. Abdul-Ilah currently serves as financial secretary of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee and is a candidate for the position of first deputy of the Iraqi Football Association.

The Iraqi Sports Disputes Court ruled in January 2026 to reinstate Abdul-Ilah as president of the Iraqi Swimming Federation, a decision that drew objections from within Iraqi sports circles at the time.

Abdul-Ilah was provisionally suspended in 2020 based on the same complaint before being cleared on grounds of insufficient evidence.