Britain considers games ban for Syria Olympic head

LONDON (AP) — The British government says it is considering banning Syria’s Olympic chief from the London Games over his links with President Bashar Assad.

Gen. Mowaffak Joumaa is not on a European Union travel-ban list that features Assad, and has said he plans to attend the Olympics.

But British sports minister Hugh Robertson says the Joumaa “situation … is developing as we speak. We will have to see when his application comes through.”

Joumaa is an aide of Assad, whose regime has launched a violent crackdown on opposition.

Robertson says a committee will assess “anyone who applies for a visa for the games who comes from a country where there might be questions raised.”

With “contentious” cases,” Robertson stressed that ministers “have the power to refuse anybody a visa.”