Khadem-Haqiqat, ex-Iran wrestling chief, dies aged 94
Seyyed Mohammad Khadem-Haqiqat, the former chairman of the Iranian Wrestling Federation, passed away at the age of 94.
Laid to rest in Tehran on Tuesday, Khadem-Haqiqat was in charge of the country’s wrestling governing body on three spells between 1966 and 1978, playing his part in helping Iran emerge as a global force of the sport.
Serving as a referee at numerous major events, including the 1960 Olympic Games in Rome, Khadem-Haqiqat was also the chef de mission of the squad at the 1961 World Championships in Yokohama, Japan, where Iran dominated the freestyle competitions.
Legendary wrestlers Gholamreza Takhti, Emam-Ali Habibi, Mohammad-Ali San’atkaran, Ebrahim Seifpour, and Mansour Mahdizadeh walked away with the ultimate prize of their respective weight classes, while Nasrollah Soltaninejad settled for a flyweight silver and Hamid Tavakkoli took a bronze as Iranian freestyle team celebrated a maiden world title.