|  | | Uday Hussein has made sport of terrorizing Iraqi athletes. |
The horrors of Saddam Hussein's son
Iraq was once the athletics mecca of the Middle East, but it has languished under the heavy hand of Uday Saddam Hussein. In a supposed attempt to inspire his athletes to new greatness, the head of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee allegedly has imprisoned some, tortured others and executed dozens more since 1984, an ESPN.com investigation reveals.
Reign of terror: Dossier on atrocities
Uday's double: "He's more than evil."
Sound off: What should the IOC do?
ABC News coverage of Iraq:
Back from the grave | Bush's bogeymen
Judgment Day for Iraq? | Decade of deception
| QUOTABLE |
"Being a well-known athlete can get you killed. Dozens of athletes and leaders in the Iraqi sports movement have been executed, in part because they were popular with the public."
—Issam Thamer al-Diwan, former Iraqi athlete
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| TALES OF TORTURE |
ISSAM THAMER
AL-DIWAN
 Issam Thamer Al-Diwan, a former Iraqi national team volleyball player, witnessed abuses of athletes at Olympic facilities and was imprisoned twice. He says the torture he endured as a prisoner left lasting physical and mental scars.
SHARAR HAYDAR
 Sharar Haydar played for Iraqi junior and senior national teams for 12 years. When he tried to retire from international competition, he was imprisoned and beaten. Haydar says he is one of the lucky ones -- he was punished only four times.
RAED AHMED
 Raed Ahmed was a 12-time Iraqi national weightlifting champion. For participating in the Atlanta Olympics, each Iraqi athlete was supposed to be rewarded with $8,000. Instead, Ahmed says it went into the pocket of the Iraq National Olympic Committee president.
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| More from ESPN... |
AUDIO/VIDEO
 Outside the Lines
Sports in Iraq have ebbed under the rule of Uday Saddam Hussein, president of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee.
Standard | Cable Modem
Outside the Lines
Dozens of Iraqi athletes reportedly have been executed since Uday Hussein became INOC president in 1984.
Standard | Cable Modem
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