Saeid Mollaei: Iranian judoka fears for safety after refusing to quit World Championships

[sammuel]

Saeid Mollaei: Iranian judoka fears for safety after refusing to quit World Championships

Iran's Saeid Mollaei says he fears for his and his family's safety after ignoring calls from Iranian authorities to pull out of the World Judo Championships in Japan.

Mollaei said he was told to withdraw from his match against Russia's Olympic champion Khasan Khalmurzaev to avoid the prospect of facing Israel's Sagi Muki later in the tournament.

Iranian athletes are prohibited from competing in any sport against Israel.

"I could have been champion," he said.

"I've been training hard.

"But the National Olympic Committee of Iran and the Sport Minister told me to not compete, that I had to comply with the law.

"I am a fighter. I want to compete wherever I can. I live in a country whose law does not permit me to. We have no choice; all athletes must comply with it.

"Even if the authorities of my country told me that I can go back without any problems, I am afraid. I am afraid of what might happen to my family and to myself."

Mollaei, who was eventually knocked out in the semi-finals of the men's -81kg class by Belgium's Matthias Casse, has since left the competition in Japan and is currently in Germany.

Muki later beat Casse to win the gold medal.

Earlier in 2019, the National Olympic Committee of Iran had said it would comply with the Olympic charter and statutes of the International Judo Federation (IJF), paving the way for Iranian athletes to compete against Israeli athletes.

After last week's events, IJF president Marius Vizer said Mollaei could potentially compete at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics independently of Iran.

"First of all we will do everything to support the athlete so he can continue his career and participate in the Olympic Games," Vizer told AFP.

"We will do our best that he will compete in the Olympic Games. Later we will see in which team - there are different options, but one of them will be applied for the Olympics."


https://www.bbc.com/sport/judo/49548719

 

[sammuel]

 

[Battle of Waterloo]

He was too afraid for his family to compete, but not too afraid to expose the whole plot and conveniently seek asylum in Germany?

He competed in the semi-final and lost, there was no withdrawal or injury.

 

[sammuel]

He was too afraid for his family to compete, but not too afraid to expose the whole plot and conveniently seek asylum in Germany?

He competed in the semi-final and lost, there was no withdrawal or injury.

He was not allowed to compete in the semi finals at all , his coach was not there.

Athletes in his level dedicate their whole time to training. But since both him and the Israeli are at the top level of their weight group , the chances are he would never be allowed by the mullah dictators to compete in the finals.

~

 

[prashantazazel]

Lions led by sheep will always suffer.

 

[Battle of Waterloo]

He was not allowed to compete in the semi finals at all , his coach was not there.

Athletes in his level dedicate their whole time to training. But since both him and the Israeli are at the top level of their weight group , the chances are he would never be allowed by the mullah dictators to compete in the finals.

The coach was there for the Bronze medal match.

This guy has a German wife and was already planning to move to Germany.

The IJF President had clearly planned this with Mollaei in advance.

One minute he feared for his safety so he lost the matches on purpose then he exposed the whole story... Suddenly didn't fear for his safety any more lol?

Ironically, it looks like he wanted to win the semi final especially to compete against the Israeli (or then clearly be forced to pull out so he can blame Iran more clearly). His coach probably knew about it and didn't want to be responsible so he didn't come to the SF. But then he lost the SF (lol) and his plan was ruined.

It's a real shame what the regime in Iran does to its people. Not only does it steal their wealth to cause havoc in the region, it steals their souls, their identity, their ambitions.

This is all from fear. Iran fears that an Iranian would lose to an Israeli.

It's funny. The regime fears the loss more than the Iranian opponent does.

Israel has won 1 Gold medal in 16 Olympic games. Iran won 10 Golds in the last 3 Olympic games alone.

The only sport Israelis are good at is Judo, and no one in Iran cares about Judo.

 

[Mithridates]

It's a real shame what the regime in Iran does to its people. Not only does it steal their wealth to cause havoc in the region, it steals their souls, their identity, their ambitions.

This is all from fear. Iran fears that an Iranian would lose to an Israeli.

It's funny. The regime fears the loss more than the Iranian opponent does.

you really pushed hardly to come up with this didn't you??
did you ever considered maybe the regime does not recognize the Israel and protests it with this act??

 

[mohd497]

This is so hypocritical. Every country ban players to compete with enemy state. India does that every time! A little problem arises with Pakistan and they ban cricket against us.

And playing professional sport against a country whose hands are red in blood of innocent children, men and elders is just a shame.

 

[Flash_Ninja]

Any country that brings politics into international sports should be sanctioned by that organisation, if Iran doesnt want Israel to compete then it should lobby the IJF and its members instead of doing things like this

 

[sammuel]

The coach was there for the Bronze medal match.

This guy has a German wife and was already planning to move to Germany.

The IJF President had clearly planned this with Mollaei in advance.

One minute he feared for his safety so he lost the matches on purpose then he exposed the whole story... Suddenly didn't fear for his safety any more lol?

Ironically, it looks like he wanted to win the semi final especially to compete against the Israeli (or then clearly be forced to pull out so he can blame Iran more clearly). His coach probably knew about it and didn't want to be responsible so he didn't come to the SF. But then he lost the SF (lol) and his plan was ruined.


Israel has won 1 Gold medal in 16 Olympic games. Iran won 10 Golds in the last 3 Olympic games alone.

The only sport Israelis are good at is Judo, and no one in Iran cares about Judo.

You paint a very twisted picture of the action of a man , who does not need to prove his talent or question his bravery or integrity , if he has the courage to speak out against the mullah regime.

He is a a world champion , and before this event the Iranian government controlled press , where more than happy to describe his success,

Only non off them bothered to report what has happened to him in the last world championship.

this is how free press works in Iran.

This is how it was just few months ago :


Iran’s Saeid Mollaei wins gold at 2019 Hohhot Grand Prix

Iranian judoka, Saeid Mollaei, has underscored his supremacy in the under-81kg Judo weight category after claiming gold in the 2019 Hohhot Grand Prix in China.

In a stunning display in the final showdown on Saturday, the 37-year-old Iranian ace struck the Japanese number one and three-time Grand Slam winner, Sotaro Fujiwara, with a Sode tsurikomi goshi to score ippon, and wrap up the contest.

Mollaei had had a bye in the first round, and swept aside opponents from Georgia and Egypt to reach the semifinals, where he spectacularly threw and pinned down Asian-Pacific Championships gold medalist Uuganbaatar Otgonbaatar of Mongolia.


https://www.presstv.com/Detail/2019...d-Mollaei-wins-gold-at-2019-Hohhot-Grand-Prix

 

[Battle of Waterloo]

He is trying to create publicity against Iran for his own personal agenda, so obviously Iranian media will not feed his traitorous agenda.

Hope he has fun competing as a refugee.

 

[925boy]

you really pushed hardly to come up with this didn't you??
did you ever considered maybe the regime does not recognize the Israel and protests it with this act??

This person is a TROLL, and might be a professional. The way he/she speaks and repeats anti-Iranian propaganda, i feel he/she is just another version of @500 or just pathologically hateful towards Iran. "Different toilets, same s***". 'nuff said.

 

[zartosht]

Iran does not recognize Israel as a country.

it would be like asking Azerbaijan to play against the Artsakh republic.

it would be like asking Georgia to play against the south Ossetia/Abkhazia republic.

it would be like asking moldova to play against transnistria

it would be like asking Ukraine to play in crimea

it would be like asking Pakistan to play cricket against indian controlled Kashmir.

it would be like asking American athletes to play in the 1980 Moscow olympics

it would be like asking Russian athletes to play in the 1984 los angeles Olympics....

it would be like asking the world to play against the apartheid south Africa team pre-94


why is it only Iran gets criticized?

 

[925boy]

we g

Iran does not recognize Israel as a country.

it would be like asking Azerbaijan to play against the Artsakh republic.

it would be like asking Georgia to play against the south Ossetia/Abkhazia republic.

it would be like asking moldova to play against transnistria

it would be like asking Ukraine to play in crimea

it would be like asking Pakistan to play cricket against indian controlled Kashmir.

it would be like asking American athletes to play in the 1980 Moscow olympics

it would be like asking Russian athletes to play in the 1984 los angeles Olympics....

it would be like asking the world to play against the apartheid south Africa team pre-94


why is it only Iran gets criticized?

We get it bro! LOL

 

[Hassan Al-Somal]

Sounds like the guy wants to file his asylum/immigration case in the West