Amo Baba buried in Iraqi football's biggest stadium

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BAGHDAD, May 29, 2009 (AFP) - Iraqi football's legendary player and coach Emmanuel Baba Dawud, known affectionately as "Amo (uncle) Baba," was buried in the country's biggest football stadium on Friday in line with his dying wish.

"We loved Amo Baba from our heart, as a player, trainer and a teacher. We loved him and bid him farewell with our hearts, and he will always be in the Iraqi people's hearts," Vice President Adel Abdel Mahdi said.

As a player, he was famous for his attacking flair and scored Iraq's first international goal at the 1957 Pan Arab Games. Named coach of the national team in 1978, he led Iraq to the Olympics in 1984 in Los Angeles and 1988 in Seoul.

Amo Baba, a member of Iraq's Assyrian Christian minority, died on Wednesday in northern Iraq at the age of 74 of complications from diabetes.

The funeral took place in a Baghdad church before the coffin draped in an Iraqi flag was transported to Al-Shaab stadium on a military vehicle, in a state tribute with the blessing of Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki.

The coffin was carried aloft by soldiers and lowered into a grave in the stadium compound.

"With the name of the Iraqi government and the Iraqi people, we console the family of this hero who carried the name of Iraq in Al-Shaab stadium and other stadiums ... for 50 years," Mahdi said in a speech at the ceremony.

Youth and Sport Minister Essam al-Diwan said it was Amo Baba's will to be buried at the stadium.

"The last time we visited Amo Baba in hospital, he demanded to be buried in Al-Shaab stadium and said: 'Death is a professional player. I'm sure he will get me'," Diwan said.