I believe that I remember reading of the arrest on one of the earlier threads.
I know I read it somewhere...;o)
Iranian Canoe Champions Defect
SMCCDI (Information Service)
Jul 28, 2003
Two of the Iranian Canoe Champions defected yesterday and requested Political asylum from Germany.
The two who are named "Mohamad Reza Zaharian" and "Hamid Farzam" are placed under the protection of the German authorities who are refusing the regime's requests for their hand over.
They were part of the visiting Iranian team sent for participation in the championship.
http://www.daneshjoo.org/generalnews/article/publish/article_1445.shtml