Shafaq News- Baghdad

World Aquatics has placed Ayad Mushir Jassim in charge of the Iraqi Aquatics Federation during the provisional suspension of its former president, Khaled Abdulwahid Kabyan, as the federation faces approaching entry deadlines for international competitions.

Jassim, a member of World Aquatics' executive committee, will run the Iraqi Aquatics Federation and receive all official correspondence for as long as Kabyan's provisional suspension lasts, according to a letter from the governing body's executive director dated October 20.

The letter urged Jassim to brief the rest of the Iraqi federation's board quickly and to keep to registration deadlines. First on the calendar is the World Aquatics Championships (25m) in Beijing, with entries closing on November 10.

Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi terminated Kabyan's contract as a government adviser on June 29, citing a lack of financial clearance over state funds. Earlier that month, the Karkh Criminal Court sentenced him to one year in prison, suspended for three years, after convicting him of causing intentional damage to public funds. The ruling was upheld on appeal in July, and in August the Iraqi National Olympic Committee ordered his removal from his sports posts.