Iraqi star Abbas to return to Australia

An Iraqi footballer who sought sanctuary in Australia as sectarianism ripped his home country apart is heading back down under after signing up with the Sydney-based Marconi Stallions.

Ali Abbas, one of the stars of the national side that won the Asian Cup in 2007, was one of three players who fled the national team’s hotel in Australia just months after its euphoric triumph in Indonesia.

The attacking midfielder had talks with the Stallions at the time but returned to Iraq early in 2008, and after discussions with the Iraqi Football Union joined the Air Force Club in Baghdad.

“I preferred to go back to Iraq to represent my former team, the Air Force, but the idea of professionalism is still ongoing,” Abbas, who plans to fly to Australia on Friday, told AFP.

“I have reached an agreement with the management at Air Force to return to Australia and join Marconi,” he said, confirming that he had received a release form that will allow him to register with Australian football authorities.

The Stallions play in the New South Wales Premier League, one step down from Australia’s leading football competition the A-League.

Abbas and his Iraq team mates Ali Mansour and Ali Khadher fled the Iraqi team’s hotel soon after losing 2-0 in a crucial Olympic qualifying match against Australia in November 2007.

Iraq was at the peak of its sectarian struggle when Abbas sought asylum in Australia and his father had already been killed in an explosion in Baghdad.

“I felt very disappointed after we lost the chance to get to the finals of Beijing 2008,” he said, “but I decided to stay there to get some stability back in my life.”

His team mate Mansour also returned to Iraq, but Khadher is still thought to be in Australia.

Iraq won plaudits across the world when its national team beat Saudi Arabia 1-0 to win its first Asian Cup in the summer of 2007.