Public sports in post-war Iraq

Iraqi jockeys race at a racing course in Baghdad's restive neighborhood of al-Ghazaliya, on Jan 16. 2007. Horse racing, an extremely popular sport during the former regime, is now suffering from shortage of funds due to the overall deteriorating security situation in the war-torn capital. [Photo/icpress]

Iraqi paralympian Ahmed Naas throws his javelin during a practice session at an open field in his hometown of Batha, west of the Iraqi city of Nasiriyah, on Sept 22, 2012. Naas won a silver medal at the Paralympic Games, to the cheers of thousands of spectators and then returned home to Iraq, where absolutely nothing has changed in his life. [Photo/icpress]