Syria to send 10 athletes to London Olympics

DAMASCUS: The president of the Syrian Olympic Committee says the war-torn country will send 20 sports officials and 10 athletes to the London Games.

Gen. Mowaffak Joumaa says 10 Syrian athletes have either qualified or received wild-card invitations to compete in swimming, track and field, weightlifting, boxing, equestrian and shooting during the games.

Joumaa says he and other sports officials will travel to London despite the British government’s warning that they could be banned from attending the Olympics because of his close links to President Bashar Assad.

The Syrian government’s 13-month crackdown on an uprising has killed thousands of people and led to broad sanctions and a European Union travel ban against top officials.