Iraq Olympic chief to reclaim position after US sanctions lifted

Shafaq News – Baghdad

The chairman of the Iraqi Olympic Committee, Aqeel Muften, will resume his duties once US sanctions against him are lifted, the committee’s Secretary-General Haitham Abdul-Hamid revealed.

In a statement, Abdul-Hamid rejected media claims that Muften had been removed from his position, noting that he stepped aside voluntarily and transferred his duties to his deputy following a phone call from the International Olympic Committee.

“Muften has hired a law firm to remove his name from the US Treasury sanctions list, and the IOC contacted the committee on November 5 to request clarification.”

Last week, the Iraqi Olympic Committee authorized the first deputy chairman to oversee day-to-day affairs until the issue with the US Treasury is resolved.

The US Treasury Department announced on October 9, 2025, a sanctions package linked to Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Kataib Hezbollah, which included Aqeel Muften and his brother Ali Muften Khafif Al-Baidani.