Syria’s Olympic chief blocked from London Games

PanARMENIAN.Net - The head of the Syrian Olympic Committee, General Mowaffak Joumaa, has been refused a visa to travel to London for the Games, BBC News reported.

It is understood the application has been refused because of his links to President Bashar al-Assad's regime.

The decision was made at a recent meeting of senior officials from the Home Office, Foreign Office and Department of Culture, Media and Sport.

The International Olympic Committee is expected to ratify the decision.

The board of senior government officials had been assessing Gen Joumaa's application for a while and had reached a decision in the last few days, BBC News said.

After being informed of the government's decision earlier on Friday, June 22 it is the London Games organisers Locog that must now notify the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which has the final say.