COLORADO SPRINGS, COLO. (March 31, 2004) -- Two Greco-Roman wrestlers from Iraq, along with their coach, are scheduled to arrive at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs late Friday, April 2.   The U.S. Olympic Committee (USOC) is partnering with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the U.S. Department of State and USA Wrestling to host and train the Iraqi wrestlers.    Muhammed Mohammed (120 kg) and Ali Salman (96 kg) will spend the next three months living and training at the CSOTC prior to the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece.  While neither athlete has qualified to compete in Athens, one or both could receive a wild card berth from FILA, wrestling's international federation, or the IOC for the Games of the XXVIII Olympiad.  Their coach, Jamal Hasson, will oversee their preparations, which will include working with athletes and coaches of the U.S. Greco-Roman Wrestling Team including USA Wrestling National Greco-Roman Coach Steve Fraser, a 1984 Olympic champion, and the USA Wrestling national coaching staff, including Assistant National Greco-Roman Coach Momir Petkovic, a 1976 Olympic champion, Resident Greco-Roman Coach Anatoly Petrosyan and Greco-Roman Developmental Coach Ike Anderson.     Working with USA Wrestling, the U.S. Department of State's Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs, and the IOC's Solidarity Department, the USOC will be coordinating an extensive training program for the Iraqi athletes.  This is the second exchange on which the USOC, U.S. State Department and IOC Solidarity have worked together.  The USOC also assisted in bringing athletes, coaches and officials from the Iraqi National Archery Team to New York City in July 2003 to compete in the 42nd World Archery Championships.  Following the tournament, the Iraqi archers traveled to Chula Vista, Calif., to train at the U.S. Olympic Training Center.  Additionally, U.S. Olympic Committee officials participated in a June 2003 meeting in Kuwait City with leaders from the IOC, the Olympic Council of Asia, the U.S. Department of State and the United Nations Development Program to formulate plans to redevelop sports program in Iraq.      "The United States Olympic Committee is proud to be a part of the collaborative effort with the U.S. Department of State, the International Olympic Committee and USA Wrestling to further the development of sport in Iraq," said USOC Chief Executive and Chief of Sport Performance Jim Scherr, a former freestyle wrestler who competed in the 1988 Olympic Games. "The opportunity to host wrestlers from Iraq and their coach reflects the Olympic ideals of peace, understanding and inclusion through sport."    In February 2004, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) Executive Board voted to lift the suspension imposed on the Iraqi National Olympic Committee on May 17, 2003, thereby allowing Iraqi athletes to enter the Olympic Stadium in Athens on August 13 under their national flag, and bringing the number of National Olympic Committees (NOCs) to 202, the highest number ever recorded in the Olympic Movement.    "Our coaching staff and athletes are looking forward to working with the coach and wrestlers from Iraq," said Rich Bender, USA Wrestling Executive Director. "They will be here during an important preparation time, as our athletes ready themselves for the U.S. Olympic Team Trials and for the Olympic Games. USA Wrestling is excited to help our guests from Iraq in their training, and looks forward to fostering goodwill between our nations."