Iranian athletes call for Israel sports ban
Iran’s sports community strongly condemned Israel’s unprovoked, cruel attacks on Iranian soil in a gathering in front of the United Nations Office in Tehran, calling for the expulsion of Israeli athletes from international sporting events.
Presidents of various Iranian sports federations as well as recognized athletes attending the gathering were weighed down by grief and anger at the martyrdom of a number of their beloved compatriots and team members by the Zionist regime.
More than 20 Iranian athletes have been killed since the attacks began on June 13. However, such events are considered routine for the child-killing regime.
Arash Miresmaeili, who serves as the president of the Iranian Judo Federation, read a statement, appealing to the International Olympic Committee (IOC), global sports federations, and all related organizations to “put on hold the Zionist regime’s membership in sporting events in recognition of their humanitarian and ethical responsibilities”.
“We also call on the United Nations, Security Council, Human Rights Council, and other international bodies to step up without delay in condemning these aggressions and to take concrete measures to clamp down on the warmongering behavior of this regime,” the former world champion judoka added.Mehdi Taj, the president of the Football Federation of Iran, described it as “shameful” that countries who witness Israel’s targeting of Iran’s civilians, including women, children, and athletes, in their sleep turn a blind eye and fail to condemn them.
He also announced that the upcoming Asian Women’s Football Championship was postponed by the AFC at the behest of Iran.
The President of the Basketball Federation of Iran Javad Davari noted that if Iran were to commit “one-thousandth of Israel’s crimes,” the suspension of the country from sports events would be the least of what the international community would do.
The names of several of Iran’s national champions have been listed as victims of Israel’s brutal attacks on residential buildings so far.
The death of Matin Safaeian, a sixteen-year-old member of Iran’s national skate team, has garnered special attention due to how soon such a talent was unjustly snuffed.
The Iranian national champions Helena Gholami (Karate), Vahid Khosrodad (Kickboxing), and Ruhollah Salek, Ali Baqernia, and Reza Bahrami (Boxing), among others, have also been killed in Israeli air strikes.