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

[Trango Towers]

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.

All the middle east including Israel is like this

 

[Battle of Waterloo]

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

Actually he already has a German wife and lives in Germany legally, so there's no asylum case here. Just a plan to move to Germany long-term and inventing some story with the IJF to justify the IJF going out of their way to help him quickly switch teams to be able to compete at the 2020 Olympics (under the IOC refugee team!).

 

[sammuel]

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

Actually he already has a German wife and lives in Germany legally, so there's no asylum case here. Just a plan to move to Germany long-term and inventing some story with the IJF to justify the IJF going out of their way to help him quickly switch teams to be able to compete at the 2020 Olympics (under the IOC refugee team!).

I don't know what is your interest to twist the facts about an Honorable man. Did Mr Saeid Mollaei plan to receive calls from Iran deputy sport minister minutes before a crucial match in the semi finals ?

I think not. So stop inventing stuff.

This is how it was described in the Judo federation site :

The drama of this extraordinary true story began at 15.30, Japan’s time. Mollaeis’ next fight was against the Olympic champion, Russian Khasan Khalmurzaev. A few minutes prior to the contest, the Iranian coach received a call from his country. On the other side of the line, the Iranian first deputy minister of sport, Davar Zani, gave him the order to withdraw Mollaei from the competition to avoid a potential contest between Iran and Israel. A demand accompanied by a double threat against Mollaei and his family.

Mollaei literally collapsed, and burst into tears. The emotion was heartbreaking for those backstage who witnessed this.

Lisa Allan, IJF competition manager was approached by the coach from Tajikistan, Vahid Sarla informing her that Mollaei needs her help. Accompanied by IJF General Secretary Mr Jean-Luc Rouge, IJF EC member Mr Gerard Benone and her assistant Abdullo Muradov they went to him immediately and took action in a professional manner.

Abdullo said: “I spent the day with him. I escorted him everywhere. Helped him with translation. I saw the fear in his eyes, the terror of having to face the consequences of a situation that was beyond his control. He was totally helpless. It's terrible to witness this. These are situations that should not happen for any athlete or for anyone.”


The Champion asked to meet IJF President, Marius Vizer, who immediately welcomed him in his office. After hearing what had occurred, Mr. Vizer assured him of his full support regardless of his choice.

Mr. Vizer explained to him, that he had to make the most important decision of his life. Obey and return to his country or risk everything and fight for freedom and dignity. His Judo values showed him the way. He made his choice and rushed directly to the tatami to face the Olympic Champion.


The emotional stress created by this extraordinary situation was surely not the best way to prepare a contest, especially against an Olympic Gold Medalist. Mollaei proved to be a stratospheric champion by eliminating the Russian, and also winning his next contest against the Canadian Antoine Valois-Fortier, Olympic bronze medalist in the quarterfinals.


Despite early declarations by some media that he withdrew due to head injury, the Iranian continued to compete, reaching the semi-final against Matthias Casse with hope to enter the final. For the Iranian authorities, Mollaei had already gone too far. Having received several calls all day to pressure him, there was already no turning back and he knew that he couldn't go home. Moreover, a delegation from the Iranian Embassy came to the venue. One delegate illegally, by means of the Iranian coaches accreditation, trespassed into the athlete warm up area to approach him with messages of intimidation.


Just prior to the semi-final, Mollaei’s coach received another phone call, this time from the Iranian Olympic Committee President, Reza Salehi Amiri. He put the phone on speaker and video, so the World Champion could follow the conversation.

The NOC President explained that National Security were at his parent’s house. Mollaei’s friends from Iran also texted him that people came to his house and asked his father to tell his son to follow the law or he would have problems.



The fear, the emotional heights that the Iranian reached at that precise moment, and the time that had passed since the preliminaries, put him in an incredible state of stress. Escorted everywhere by IJF and local organizing staff, his belongings and passport being secured, he went on the mat for his semifinal but revealed after the competition, that he couldn’t compete at his normal level.



In an exclusive interview given by Saeid Mollaei to the IJF media he declared: “I could have been the world champion. I’ve been training hard, making lots of efforts. Today, I fought and won against an Olympic champion, an Olympics bronze-medalist and other opponents. I beat all of them. I even dreamed of the championship title today. But that was not my fate: I could not compete because of the law in my country, and because I was scared of consequences for my family and myself.”



Mollaei explained: “Today, 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. All I did today was for my life, for a new life.”



“I thank Mr. President Vizer from the bottom of my heart. He told me he would guarantee and help me to go to the Olympics. So that my dream will come true and I can become an Olympic champion. I need help. 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."

“President Vizer guaranteed that I can continue to compete. I am an athlete, not a politician nor been ever involved in politics. I want to comply with the Olympic Charter.“ Saeid Mollaei concluded: "I was lost and afraid.“



Today he cannot return to his country and awaits a life of exile and uncertainty regarding the future of his family. All he wanted was to be a judoka and become a champion, to represent his country with pride in international competitions, face the best and give his best, like everyone else and play fair. Mollaei lost a competition in Tokyo but he chose judo and won the contest of his life, by Ippon.



Saeid Mollaei is currently under risk and the IJF is looking forward to find the best solution to allow a champion to continue to do what he does best: to compete no matter what and without any kind of discrimination.



His fight for life has just started. He won’t be alone, the whole judo family will stand next to him.



President Vizer said “The IJF is never in favor or against any country, we are here to defend the integrity of the sport and the sport values for the promotion of sport as a driver of friendship, unity and peace in the world. The Olympic Charter is the supreme value in the sport and we are here to protect it.”

https://www.ijf.org/news/show/the-true-story-of-a-fight-for-life

 

[Battle of Waterloo]

"the Iranian first deputy minister of sport, Davar Zani, gave him the order to withdraw Mollaei from the competition"

Except he didn't withdraw. He participated in the semi-final and lost. Then continued to participate in the Bronze medal match (with his coach present) and lost that too.

 

[sammuel]

"the Iranian first deputy minister of sport, Davar Zani, gave him the order to withdraw Mollaei from the competition"

Except he didn't withdraw. He participated in the semi-final and lost. Then continued to participate in the Bronze medal match (with his coach present) and lost that too.

How well would you have performed if you would have received threatening phone calls to your family , minutes before a crucial fight ?

Instead of sending all the support ,they send threats to family.

Iran knew well the rules of participating in the tournament before hand.

If they do not approve of them , no one forces Iran to participate.

But instead they choose to pretend as if they accept the rules and than they order their athletes to fake injuries or loose on purpose. Does this sound like good sportsmanship to you ?

Because to me ,it sounds more like a behavior of a mob boss from a cheap gangsters movie threatening his fighter to throw down a fight.

Only this is no movie ...

~

 

[sammuel]

Mana Neyestani take on the matter :

~

 

[Mithridates]

I see many Iranians around the world are now calling for the boycott of Iran in sports.

Yet on the forum here, there isn't a single Iranian that ever speaks out against the regime. This indicates that they're regime-affiliated trolls.

We know Twitter and Facebook removed tens of thousands of Iranian regime-linked social media account that purported to be ordinary people, but were spreading regime propaganda.

There isn't a single Iranian on here that deviated from the official Mullah line.

you are right we all are alien reptiles concealed as humans and mullah supporters.
the people you see around the world obviously had problem with regime that migrated at the first place and in some cases recruited by westerns to spread propaganda against regime.
about the not seeing criticizing IR by iranian members i already said this we are not comfortable with people around world see us naked, we are guests here not hosts.

 

[Shapur Zol Aktaf]

I see many Iranians around the world are now calling for the boycott of Iran in sports.

Yet on the forum here, there isn't a single Iranian that ever speaks out against the regime. This indicates that they're regime-affiliated trolls.

We know Twitter and Facebook removed tens of thousands of Iranian regime-linked social media account that purported to be ordinary people, but were spreading regime propaganda.

There isn't a single Iranian on here that deviated from the official Mullah line.

No polls.

 

[Battle of Waterloo]

Actually, the "Iranians" on Twitter are often MEK troll factory bots, paid to spread anti-IRI propaganda on Twitter every day. Their HQ in Albania was exposed recently.

Brave individuals that left the MEK came out and said they were tortured by the MEK for daring to leave and spread the truth about their operations (funded by KSA and Israel).

MEK are unanimously hated as terrorists inside Iran.

Can watch very informative segments about this pro-KSA/Israel MEK terrorist bot factory in Albania from these neutral sources here:

 

[sammuel]

iranian members i already said this we are not comfortable with people around world see us naked, we are guests here not hosts.

Well , since Iranians cant express themselves freely in their own home , that does not leave much options . does it ?

It is a typical example on how the mullah regime trample over Iranian Human rights. They can threaten their citizens , their families and the Iranians are not even allowed to complain about it or express their protest in the press.


~

 

[prashantazazel]

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?

You don't have a direct enmity with Israel. No direct border disputes either. You fight them for others (Palestinians), and maybe for influence.

 

[Mithridates]

Well , since Iranians cant express themselves freely in their own home , that does not leave much options . does it ?

It is a typical example on how the mullah regime trample over Iranian Human rights. They can threaten their citizens , their families and the Iranians are not even allowed to complain about it or express their protest in the press.


~

with all due respect all u wrote is BS, most of the things you read online about IRI is bull crap. years ago i had a commy room mate which were active in Instagram, telegram, several personal blogs and etc. he use to criticize regime and write all kind of crap and even curse the leader. one day he been called by police and security forces to investigate his intentions and if he had any bound to foreign elements, after two weeks and several hearing sessions they find out that he is just a angry kid and they demanded him to clear the curses and he was free to maintain any previous activities. there was no jail, no restrictions on his education, his rights and anything possible for an ordinary iranian. so do not believe in bullshits you hear online.
i believe you misunderstood my words, there is nothing here keeping us from criticizing IR or Iran we just do not want to show our weaknesses online. otherwise there are Iranians stationed in foreign countries what stops them?? regime??

 

[sammuel]

with all due respect all u wrote is BS, most of the things you read online about IRI is bull crap. years ago i had a commy room mate which were active in Instagram, telegram, several personal blogs and etc. he use to criticize regime and write all kind of crap and even curse the leader. one day he been called by police and security forces to investigate his intentions and if he had any bound to foreign elements, after two weeks and several hearing sessions they find out that he is just a angry kid and they demanded him to clear the curses and he was free to maintain any previous activities. there was no jail, no restrictions on his education, his rights and anything possible for an ordinary iranian. so do not believe in bullshits you hear online.
i believe you misunderstood my words, there is nothing here keeping us from criticizing IR or Iran we just do not want to show our weaknesses online. otherwise there are Iranians stationed in foreign countries what stops them?? regime??

Thank you for your input.

I can say that " years ago " i was writing in an Iranian forum and i remember that members there where much more free about criticizing the regime.

Though this was 2009 and people had a full belly on the regime after the famous elections.

Still you got a much more balanced view than what we get here.


~

 

[sammuel]

Iran Judo Federation suspended

TEHRAN - Following what happened during the last World Judo Championships Tokyo 2019, the International Judo Federation suspended Iran Judo Federation from all competitions, administrative and social activities organized or authorized by International Judo Federation and its Unions.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) has been informed that the August 28th 2019, during the last 2019 World Championships in Tokyo, a judoka from Iran Saeid Mollaei (-81kg) lost to his Belgian rival to avoid a potential contest against an Israeli athlete, ijf.org reported.

These facts and actions are in gross contradiction with the content of the letter sent to the IJF on May 8th, 2019 under the signature of Presidents Seyed Reza Salehi amiri, President of the I.R. Iran National Olympic Committee and Arash Miresmaeili, President, I.R. Iran Judo Federation, which categorically confirms that “…by means of this letter, we would like to confirm that the I.R. Iran NOC shall fully respect the Olympic Charter and its non-discrimination principle and the I.R. Iran Federation shall fully comply with the Olympic Charter and the IJF Statutes…”.

Mollaei will fight under a refugee flag at Tokyo 2020.

The Iran Judo Federation can submit an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) against the decision taken by IJF. The time limit for appeal shall be twenty-one days from the receipt of the decision appealed against.

https://www.tehrantimes.com/news/440273/Iran-Judo-Federation-suspended