In a move that could lead to the removal of Uday Hussein as the top sports official in Iraq, the International Olympic Committee has given approval for a formal investigation into the torture of athletes in that nation -- with the cryptic warning that it cannot prevent any harm that may come to athletes who serve as witnesses.

The IOC Ethics Commission, which has been conducting a preliminary investigation into the matter, informed a London-based human rights group Friday that the IOC's powerful executive board had "just endorsed" its probe of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee.

	BLOOD ON THE RINGS
	Read ESPN's series on the torture of Iraqi athletes and other allegations of abuse at the Iraqi Olympic Committee headquarters from its report in Decemeber. The report includes first-person accounts by former Iraqi soccer, volleyball and weightlifting athletes; a dossier of the alleged atrocities; a chat session with Uday Hussein's former body double; and an ESPN.com poll on the issues.

In a letter sent to Indict, acquired by ESPN.com, the ethics commission asked for contact information for anyone who can testify to violations of the Olympic Code of Ethics by Uday Hussein, whose reputation for violence and retribution has been compared to his father, Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein.

"Pursuant to article 4 of the rules of procedure governing the investigation of cases brought before the IOC Ethics Commission, the latter will have to inform the person implicated in the case, who is the President of the Iraqi National Olympic Committee," wrote Paquerette Girard Zappelli, special representative to the ethics commission. "This person will make his observations on the complaint, if he deems it necessary to do so."

Zappelli added, "You are aware that the Ethics Commissioner has no means of safeguarding the protection of the individual complainants."

Despite the potential risks to them or family members, former Iraqi athletes say they are willing to cooperate with the IOC probe.

"That's very good news," said Sharar Haydar, a former national team soccer player now living in London. "I'm looking forward to meeting with these people."

Haydar was one of five former athletes who spoke to ESPN.com in December about the systematic, alleged torture of athletes and coaches, often for nothing more than losing games. His testimony was not included as part of package of affidavits, photos and other documents submitted as part of Indict's formal complaint on Dec. 5, but he granted an Indict request Friday to send his contact information to the IOC.

Charles Forrest, CEO of Indict, said he also plans to put the IOC in touch with other athletes that ESPN.com spoke to who were not part of Indict's complaint.

"We are pleased that the IOC Ethics Commission is taking this investigation seriously," Forrest said in a statement. "At the same time, however, we believe that the IOC must take urgent action against the INOC and Uday Hussein."

The 15-member executive board led by IOC president Jacques Rogge heard the ethics commission report Thursday at a meeting in Lausanne, Switzerland. An IOC spokesperson said Friday that the organization would not comment on any aspect of the investigation until the probe is complete. She declined to say when the commission hopes to finish its work.

The ethics commission is chaired by Keba Mbaye, of Senegal. Its other seven members are from France, Switzerland, Japan, Australia, Sweden, Peru and the United States. The lone American on the committee is former Olympic hurdler Edwin Moses.

Given the current backdrop of a potential war in Iraq, IOC investigators may encounter logistical and political hurdles in conducting its investigation. But the mere decision to move ahead with a probe indicates a willingness on the IOC's part to at least try to address the issue, despite some caution expressed earlier this week by executive board members, including Rogge.

"It's better than a sharp stick in the eye," said Richard Pound, an IOC member from Canada who formerly served on the executive committee. He had encouraged Rogge to launch an investigation.

Forrest, whose group cites 11 violations of the IOC Code of Ethics, said the IOC should not wait for a possible war with Iraq to begin its probe because athletes may be danger.

"The bid-rigging (at the Salt Lake Olympics) and figure-skating scandals are chicken feed compared to this," he said.

A call Friday requesting comment from Iraq's permanent mission to the United Nations was not returned. In December, Uday Hussein did not respond to numerous requests for comment in December when ESPN.com was preparing its report, although in a phone interview, a deputy at the Iraqi National Olympic Committee offered a hasty denial that any athletes had ever been abused.

"I'm very, very concerned about my family," said Haydar, whose parents and six brothers are still back in Iraq. "My family has nothing to do with me. They even told me to stop talking badly about Uday. But I'm not going to stop. Uday cannot continue. We can't keep quiet."

Forrest praised the bravery of the athletes who spoke in recent months about abuses at the Iraqi Olympic headquarters in Baghdad, where an Olympic prison allegedly exists on the first floor.

"People should recognize what these people are doing by coming forward," he said.

Tom Farrey is a senior writer with ESPN.com. He can be reached at tom.farrey@espn3.com.