Ministry of Youth and Sport

A. Background

It appears that the old regime's Ministry of Youth was used essentially to oppress the Youth of Iraq. It is understood that the Olympic Village in Baghdad was used as the site of an underground prison and housed the offices of Uday Hussein. The vast majority of Ministry appointments were held by senior level Ba'ath Party members.

The Ministry did, however, provide facilities for the community at Youth Centres, which despite the name did cater for adults as well as children and youths. These facilities varied, but the standard model of building included a theatre auditorium type room, usually with a stage, for dramatic productions, seminars, cinematic film showings, and for use as a community hall.Most centres provided various education programmes, from languages to computer skills, technical and scientific training courses, arts classes and children's classes of all sorts. All Youth Centres had some sort of limited sports facilities, usually a concrete or dirt football pitch area, sometimes with a basketball court or volleyball also. Youth Centres were run by a Manager appointed by the Ministry, and were funded by the Ministry according to the monthly Spending Plan and annual budget. It is understood that the facilities were not used for any commercial concerns or revenue generation.

Sport is widespread and popular throughout Iraq.Whilst association football (soccer) is the most popular sport, basketball, volleyball, handball, weight-lifting, wrestling, kick-boxing, martial arts, and track and field athletics are also strong. Sports are not male-centric either, with females participating in a wide range of sports also. The Ministry of Youth was also responsible for Sport, and did provide land and buildings to Sports Clubs (for example, on average some twenty to thirty sites per province in Basrah Province alone). Each Sports Club would field teams in many sports, and would elect its own club officials to run the club.Clubs were rated by the Ministry on an annual basis, on the basis of their participation across the various sports and the level at which they competed, as well as their administration etc. Points accumulated in the assessment determined what "degree" a Club fell in 1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, or 4^th. Clubs received limited funding from the Ministry, based on the degree level attained the previous year. Clubs otherwise operated as private entities, generating their own revenue from ticket sales, rental of shop space on their sites, merchandise etc. However, commercial sponsorship and generation of revenue through commercial television broadcast deals was negligible and this is an area ripe for development.

Each sport is governed by a Central Federation at national level, which has representation in each Province as a Branch Federation. Federations are responsible for governing the sport, organising competition and tournaments at Provincial and National level, and for sending delegations abroad for international competition and training.The offices of these Federation representatives were generally accommodated in Ministry Buildings, usually called the "Olympic Committee Building" in each location.

Whilst it seems that Sports Clubs, in accordance with the Federation governing the relevant sport, did organise sporting competitions and run sports facilities, and that Youth Clubs did provide facilities for computer training, art, youth seminars etc, it is clear that all such organisations were also used as a network and mouthpiece for the Ba'ath Party. The National Olympic Committee has been suspended from membership of the International Olympic Committee and the suspension will only be lifted once the IOC is satisfied that there has been regime change within sport in Iraq.

Almost all sporting and youth facilities nationwide have been damaged and/or looted extensively. In the latter stages of hostilities they were often used as sites by the fedayeen, Ba'ath Party, militia or army units and therefore were deemed a justifiable target for looters. They all require refurbishment and new equipment before activities can recommence.

The CPA has been vested with all executive, legislative and judicial authority necessary to provide for effective administration of Iraq during the period of transitional administration, to restore conditions of security and stability, to create conditions in which the Iraqi people can freely determine their own political future, including by advancing efforts to restore and establish national and local institutions for representative governance and facilitating economic recovery and sustainable reconstruction and development.

Whilst this mission does not expressly focus on "soft" aspects of civil life, such as culture, sport and youth activities, it does seem evident that support of these activities is definitely an implied task in support of the CPA mission, for the following reasons:

Force Protection: if people are happily engaged in cultural, sporting and youth activities they are off the streets and not engaged in other more hostile activities. Particularly during school and university holidays, and with the abolition of compulsory national military service, it is increasingly important to avoid the onset of inactivity and boredom amongst the youth and young men in particular. Whilst this paper does not focus on cultural activities, it is clear that youth centre and community activities, and sport activities of all kinds, offer a useful outlet for energies which may otherwise be directed against coalition forces and/or the CPA. The opportunity for friendly competitions (whether bilateral or mixed team events) with Coalition Forces may also be taken to develop relationships between the occupying forces and the locals.

2. New National Identity: if the national sporting heroes of the past, and the new sporting heroes of the future, can be used as role models for Iraqi youth, and national teams can become the focus of widespread support, in football but also for other sports, then this will help develop a new Iraqi national identity and pride.

3. Return to Normality: the occupying powers have a moral duty to return Iraq, as a minimum, to the state it was in prior to hostilities commencing. This means in practical terms that sports and youth centre facilities need to be refurbished and re-equipped, and the Ministry of Youth (and Sport) re-established and normal social and civic life resumed on a local and national scale.

4. Economic Revival: it is a key strategic objective of CPA to kick-start economic regeneration of Iraq. Sport in particular is one area ripe for economic activity on an unprecedented scale in Iraq. Commercial sponsorship, merchandising and, in particular, deals for exclusive media broadcasting rights on terrestrial and satellite Television and Radio, will provide major new sources of revenue for sport in Iraq and a new source of jobs for many.

2. Re-establish Sports Clubs, Branch Federation, Central Federation and Olympic Committee organisations;

3. Facilitate resumption of Sporting, Youth and Community activities, nationally and internationally; and

in order to support the CPA's overall mission to restore and establish national and local institutions for representative governance and facilitating economic and sustainable reconstruction and development.

The biggest constraint internal to the Ministry which we have to face in recommencing sporting and youth activities is the overwhelming previous influence of the Ba'ath Party and Uday Hussein. This means that a new Ministry, and new Sporting organisations, need to be established from scratch, with a specified vision and general policy aims, and to be populated with appropriate people with suitable experience. This will need to be driven centrally by CPA. Whilst this is a constraint, it can also be viewed as an opportunity to establish a positive force for good in Youth and Sport.

All administrative buildings, youth centres and sports clubs have been looted to a greater or lesser extent, and require reconstruction, redevelopment, and re-equipment before meaningful youth, community and sporting activities can be resumed.

Many sites, including virtually all Youth Centre facilities, are now occupied by families and/or political parties or religious organisations. Relocation of these persons is required before detailed assessments and renovation work can begin, but two obstacles are delaying this process. First; CPA policy dictates that the persons should be handed over to someone responsible for finding them alternative accommodation, should they really have nowhere else to go. At present no NGO or other party appears willing to take ownership of this problem although we have made approaches to the local Interim Council in certain Provinces to try to get them to take the lead on what is essentially a local community problem. Secondly, there is no point in relocating people until there are sufficient security guards to secure the vacated site. In the past the Ministry employed one caretaker cum security guard per Youth Centre but this is not sufficient in the present circumstances. Extra security guards need to be found, paid, provided uniforms and armed. Sports Clubs, on the other hand, were previously and will remain responsible for their own security, although they may require assistance with registration of weapons etc.

The budget for the July-December 2003 for the Ministry of Youth & Sport has been fixed by Ministry of Finance. The Ministry must work within this budget by prioritising spending and setting monthly Spending Plans according to those priorities. At present the Ministry is lacking a suitably qualified Iraqi financial controller and it is proposed that someone be appointed to fill this requirement as soon as possible.

Whilst it is tempting to leap in and try to organise youth and community programmes, and sporting events immediately, particularly in light of the enthusiasm and external pressure to do so, I believe it is better to focus on the budget and physical and administrative infrastructure first, and then organise youth and sporting activities properly and well, rather than risk a failure story by trying to arrange activities too early. However, that said, where there is scope to take "opportunity targets", such as organising small-scale competitions at local level, then such opportunities should be taken.

In each Province, the Ministry has certain office buildings to house its Directorate Staff, there are office buildings to house the Branch Federations for each sport, there are Youth Centres and Sports Club facilities and municipal sports facilities such as swimming pools and sports halls and stadia. In Basrah Province, for example, there are three Ministry/Olympic Committee administrative buildings, some nine Youth Centres and some twenty-two Sports Clubs, plus three swimming pools. In addition, in Baghdad itself, there are additional buildings to house the Olympic Committee offices, as well as the national stadium.

If the CPA and the Ministry are to be able to make informed decisions about renovation, refurbishment and re-equipment, it is first necessary to compile a database of all locations, to plot the GPS grid coordinates of each site, and to gather assessments of the requirements, and estimated costs, for renovation and re-equipment. Ideally, these assessments would be made by experienced FEST or CIMIC teams. However, it may be possible to utilise existing qualified Ministry staff to carry out assessments also. Sites and project proposals then require prioritisation.

There is a high-level strategic focus on ensuring that Iraq participates in the Olympic Games in Athens in August 2004. 6 priority sports have been identified, along with several others of lower priority, which will require support in terms of training facility renovation, equipment provision, sponsorship of training camps and international delegations, etc.

The Budget for July-December 2003 has now been agreed with Ministry of Finance. It is critical that the finance function of the Ministry is re-established and made to work. Directorates in each Province must produce monthly Spending Plans in advance (on the 15^th day of the preceding month) and submit them for approval by the Ministry and by Ministry of Finance. If funds are approved then the Ministry of Finance orders transfer of funds and issues an authorisation note allowing the recipient to collect the money at the named bank. The recipient Directorate accounts for all spending during the month and collects receipts for all expenses incurred. At the end of the month, the accounts and receipts are reconciled with the Spending Plan. It is vital that the Ministry start spending the money allocated to it and start using this process to account for its finances. It is noted that a critical personnel requirement is for a Financial Controller to be appointed in the Ministry.

Sports Clubs vote for their own club officials but the particular election rules have been devised by the Interim Iraqi Committee to Administer Sport to take account of de-Ba'athification and ensure a fair election. Sports club members elect the club's officials (manager, chairman, secretary, treasurer, coach etc). Branch Federations then elect representatives to represent each sport in a Province, and Central Federations elect representatives at national level. I understand that certain clubs have held their own elections which did not follow the prescribed rules and therefore may have to be re-held. In other cases persons known to be senior Ba'ath Party figures have been elected, so there is a requirement for a retrospective examination of results and an application of the de-Ba'athification Process. This general process of regime change will culminate in the election of the new National Olympic Committee and, it is hoped, lifting of Iraq's suspension from the IOC.

A new Ministry of Youth and Sport will require to be established through application of the de-Ba'athification procedure. The key decision for CPA is how the Minister for Youth & Sport will ultimately be chosen. Options range from appointment, to election by Provincial Directors and/or junior Ministry officials, to appointment by the Governing Council, to a mixture of the above. Criteria for approving candidates are also still to be determined, as is the overall timescale for appointment and handover of responsibility from CPA to the Minister. As part of this Phase 2B, it is intended that a new "corporate image" be developed for the Ministry of Youth & Sport, uniting youth and sporting activities under a single logo with a single message, signifying a new start for youth and sport in Iraq, a paradigm shift from the old regime, and new opportunities for individual and team development and economic growth. The logo will be chosen by means of an international logo design competition.

Once the assessments in Phase 1 are completed and project proposals prioritised, work can begin on reconstruction, redevelopment, refurbishment and re-equipment of sites and facilities. The majority of projects will need to be carried out using the Ministry Budget, but it is intended that where possible projects can be funded via CPA, or as military Quick Impact Projects (QIPs) or CERPs funded projects. Other agencies, such as UN, NGOs, DFID charities and international sporting organisations, will also be approached for funding. It is intended that the burden of procurement, contract bid tenders and contract management work can be placed onto the Ministry, with the limited CPA resources being used to monitor and advise as required.

Phase 3 - Resumption of Sports and Youth Activities and Economic regeneration

As sites are refurbished and become suitable for activities, then youth and sports club activities should be recommenced as early as possible, driven by local people. The Football Season kicks off in early October, so a pre-season tournament is planned for September. Similar "good-will games" are planned for other major sports nationwide.

Once Federation officials are elected it is intended that a conference be organised, with international support, to discuss commercial regeneration of sport and in particular the role of television and radio broadcasting in generating revenue for Federations.

I aim to engage local and national radio and TV media to publicise sports and youth activities and to provide live coverage of sports competitions. I understand at present that national TV is broadcast from Baghdad only after 12noon and covers only CPA matters. I would suggest that as soon as sporting activity resumes that sport become an important feature of TV output.

In order to boost the local youth and sport scene I hope to engage as many external agencies, international and foreign sports organisations and clubs and individual sportsmen and athletes to get involved at all age levels to get people excited about sport in Iraq.

Once the Ministry is re-established, with a new Minister is appointed, and seen to be operational and controlling its budget in accordance with any central policy direction, then the CPA's role in Youth and Sport will essentially be over. It is anticipated that there will be a transition period after the Minister's appointment during which the Senior Advisor and the CPA team will remain in place to advise and "bed down" the Minister (see Phase 4 � "Exit", below).

It is critical that a comprehensive communications plan be devised to ensure that all Phases of the Strategic Plan are properly supported and enhanced by widespread use of media. This will serve both to get across the CPA and Ministry's message to the general populace, and also to generate confidence, enthusiasm and interest n youth and sporting activities once again. A separate detailed Communications Plan is being prepared, but it is clear that it will require actions each week to provide 2-3 news stories in support of the relevant Phase of the Plan.

A detailed list of Specified and Implied Tasks, drawn from the Mission Statement in paragraph B above, is annexed.