Punishments and penalties: Despite a dark past, Iraq's football future shines bright

In 2007, the Iraq national football team, in the midst of a brutal foreign invasion, emerged victorious in the Asian Cup.

This victory was especially crucial at a time when the nation was dealing with the greatest outbreak of sectarian violence in recent memory. Across the world we saw the Iraqi diaspora hand in hand, of all sects and ethnicities uniting in celebration.

At just 12 years old, the significance of this accomplishment was lost on me at the time. It wasn’t until years later that I came to understand how momentous and symbolic this victory was.

Baghdad’s 2007 monthly civilian death toll was at its peak from June 2006 to June 2007, according to the Iraqi Body Count (IBC). After the tournament in July 2007, it steadily dropped. By December, the number of civilians killed was 246, an astronomical difference compared to the 1,683 deaths recorded in January.

"In 1984, Saddam appointed Uday as president of the Iraqi Football Committee and the Olympic Association. The decision proved to be the most fatal in Iraqi sports history"

Even though we may never know for certain if Iraq’s football win was the main catalyst for this temporary peace, the Iraqi team's triumph greatly influenced my understanding of how football can transcend the atrocities of war.

It was a truly transformative moment for me when I realised that a single winning goal, scored by our star striker Younis Mahmoud Khalaf (my namesake), could prevent the deaths of thousands of innocent people through the solidarity of a nation.

However, behind this incredible success was a perilous route steeped in darkness that stretched back several decades.

Anyone who has even the most minor understanding of the Iraq invasion, is familiar with the name Saddam Hussein, a brutal leader with no regard for the sanctity of human life, especially that of Iraqis. It’s one particular relative who is central to this story, his son, Uday Hussein.

Amidst a US-led invasion, the Iraq national football team disrupted a period of mass bloodshed and tragedy through their skills and defiance when they took home the Asian Cup. @saoudkhalaf_ writes on the significance of this moment 15 years ago. ⬇️⚽ https://t.co/idbtNor3uj

— The New Arab (@The_NewArab) August 1, 2022

Uday was killed in a US army operation in Mosul 20 years ago, on 22 July 2003. But over the course of his rule, he had a ruinous impact on Iraqi football.

In 1984, Saddam appointed Uday as president of the Iraqi Football Committee and the Olympic Association. The decision proved to be the most fatal in Iraqi sports history.

The 1980s were arguably Iraq's golden age of football. After winning the gold medal at the Asian Games in 1982, and the Arabian Gulf Cup in 1984, the Iraqi squad was quickly establishing itself as one of the most powerful forces on the continent, laying the groundwork to end the millennium in excellence.

But upon taking control of the Iraqi national football team, Uday transformed it into his personal endeavour, revealing a level of brutality and sadism surpassing even that of his father.

Uday resorted to harsh tactics in malicious attempts to motivate the team to success, but these approaches only led to their demise. His perverted narcissism was the principal cause of destroying the status of the most talented squad in Iraq's history.

The accounts of his methods were so horrifying that they resembled tales from a horror story. The actual proof that emerged after his death, however, proved the stories true.

The discovery of his torture chambers and the tools he used verified his heinousness. There were mediaeval shackles, whips, and even a standing coffin studded with nails, inside which players would be incarcerated.

One player who bravely spoke out against Uday's reign of terror was Laith Hussein, a formidable midfielder and one of Iraq's standout players of the generation. “Uday thought if he jailed or beat a player, it would make them stronger and more vicious,” Laith once revealed.

"Uday resorted to harsh tactics in malicious attempts to motivate the team to success, but these approaches only led to their demise. His perverted narcissism was the principal cause of destroying the status of the most talented squad in Iraq's history"

Laith’s potential was so impressive that he piqued the eye of Johan Cruyff, who attempted to sign him for Barcelona. But Uday obstructed the move, asserting that Laith was a national treasure who would not be permitted to leave.

Speaking on camera years later, Laith recounted how the hostile environment affected the players, causing them to underperform and lose in successive tournaments. Once, when Iraq lost to Bahrain 2-0, seven Iraqi players were sent to Al-Radwaniyah Prison, an infamous facility with a grim history as a site of torture and mass killings.

When former captain Yasser Abdul Latif was accused of striking a referee during a domestic Iraqi league match in 2000, he was punished with gruelling sessions of two-hour sets of press-ups while being flogged with electric cables.

He was released two weeks later, his head and eyebrows fully shaved. The physical torment left him so debilitated that he couldn't sleep on his back for over a month.

After this goal from Laith Hussein in 1989 against Spain's U-20 side, @JohanCruyff phoned to offer him a chance to play for @FCBarcelona pic.twitter.com/5mntraAgBg

— Hassanin Mubarak (@hassaninmubarak) February 22, 2017

Following a 3-0 defeat against South Korea, the Iraqi team was escorted to one of Uday's farms, according to Abdul-Majeed Abu Al-Hail, former youth goalkeeper. They were forced to sleep among the animals and work twelve-hour shifts.

Their agony lasted three painstaking weeks, during which time all but two of the 22 players contracted Cholera after being forced to drink contaminated water. Uday, fearful that his prized Friesian cows on the farm might also contract Cholera from the players, decided to end the punishment.

The US-led invasion of 2003 brought an end to Uday’s dictatorship over Iraqi sport. Two decades have passed since his death, and Iraq is currently in the midst of a poetic renaissance.

The Lions of Mesopotamia have triumphed again, capturing the Arabian Gulf Cup in 2023, 44 years after it last graced Iraqi territory in 1979. For Iraq, this triumph carries a deeper meaning: it represents the turning of the wheel of fate.

"As their country suffered the brutal ravages of dictatorship, foreign invasion, and crippling sanctions, these resilient men exhibited an unbreakable character"

Growing up, I was continually exposed to negative propaganda about my nation in the mainstream media, so I am wary of how to approach articles about Iraq.

I wonder how many people know about Iraq's great historical significance as the Cradle of Civilisation, a country that played a key part in moulding human history and fostering astonishing advancements.

Despite a turbulent history, it is critical to remember that our past does not dictate our future.

In these poignant moments, the struggles of Iraqi footballers gain profound perspective. As their country suffered the brutal ravages of dictatorship, foreign invasion, and crippling sanctions, these resilient men exhibited an unbreakable character, demonstrating the strength and tenacity that overcomes adversity.

Saoud Khalaf is a British-born Iraqi filmmaker and writer based in London. His videos, which have garnered millions of views across social media, focus on social justice for marginalised groups with specific attention on the Middle East. His latest documentary premiered at the Southbank Centre for Refugee Week.

Follow him on Twitter: @saoudkhalaf_

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Opinions expressed in this article remain those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The New Arab, its editorial board or staff.