Posted on 09/20/2019 1:04:24 PM PDT by Impala64ssa
The IJF said that the Iran Judo Federation was suspended from all competitions, administrative and social activities organized or authorized by the IJF.
The International Judo Federation (IJF) on Wednesday announced it had officially suspended Iran over its directive to its Judoka Saeid Mollaei to withdraw from a recent competition to avoid a contest against Israels Sagi Muki.
The IJF said that the Iran Judo Federation was suspended from all competitions, administrative and social activities organized or authorized by the IJF.
During the 2019 World Championships in Tokyo in August, Mollaei lost to Belgian judoka Matthias Casse on purpose to avoid a faceoff with Muki. He was acting on direct orders from the Iranian authorities, which used his familys well-being as leverage.
Mollaei subsequently left for Berlin, where he is currently in the process of seeking asylum.
In its statement, the IJF underscored that Irans conduct was in gross contradiction with the letter sent to the IJF in May by Irans Judo Federation, which confirmed that it would fully respect the Olympic Charter and its non-discrimination principle.
Irans National Olympic Committee (NOC) sent the letter, which was signed by Reza Salehi Amiri, President of Irans NOC, and Arash Miresmaeli, President of the Iranian Judo Federation.
Furthermore, Irans actions constitute a serious breach and gross violation of the Statutes of the IJF, its legitimate interests, its principles and objectives as well as of, in particular, but not limited to, the IJF Code of Ethics and the Olympic Charter, the organization stated.
The IJF Executive Committee stated that such conduct is intolerable, and consequently has decided to initiate a disciplinary procedure against the Iran Judo Federation and to submit the case to the IJF Disciplinary Commission.
For years, Israeli athletes have faced boycotts and other obstacles in sporting events involving Arab and Muslim countries.
In February 2018, Israeli judoka Tohar Butbul won a bronze medal after his Iranian opponent intentionally gained weight to avoid competing with him.
Earlier that month, the United World Wrestling organization banned Iranian athlete Alireza Karimi from competition for six months for intentionally losing to a Russian competitor in the quarter-final of the U-23 World Championship in Poland in November 2017 in order not to have to compete against Israeli opponent Uri Kalashnikov. Karimis coach, Hamidreza Jamshidi, was banned for two years.
In February 2017, Iranian karate athlete Majid Hassaninia refused to compete against an Israeli opponent at the 21st Open de Paris Karate Premier League in France.
throw down...
I think this is good.
I doubt the Iranians care too much about this...
FIFA should ban Iran from everything...
Iran might care about that.
It’s a horrid regime.
No Jew-Dough for Iran, hahah, no foreign trade Dough either
In Iran they call it international Jew-doh.
Mollaei subsequently left for Berlin, where he is currently in the process of seeking asylum.
Doesn't make much sense...
Thanks Impala64ssa.
In before the "US sanctions forced Iran to do this" crowd.
Oh man.
I had a big ol’ long post all written up about how this was all the US’s fault and mostly Trump’s, but what’s the point now?
Spoil sport.
Heh....
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