BBC News
By Joshua Nevett
Self-exiled Iranian athletes are urging Olympic organisers to investigate their country over allegations of abuse. Claiming they have endured threats for speaking out, three athletes explain why they won t be deterred.
image copyrightMahdi Jafargholizadeh
image captionMahdi Jafargholizadeh won several medals for Iran in international karate tournaments
Sitting nervously in an airport, Mahdi Jafargholizadeh had a hunch his getaway plan had been rumbled.
A karate champion in Iran, he had paid a smuggler to take him to Canada, but his journey ended at the boarding gate.
He was arrested in 2004 on suspicion of planning to be a spy for Israel, Iran s arch-enemy.
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Samaneh Beyrami Baher carries the flag of Iran during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, February 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
LAUSANNE, Switzerland A group of athletes and human rights activists is calling on the International Olympic Committee to sanction Iran’s Olympic program for what it says is the country’s long-running pattern of ordering athletes to avoid competing against Israelis in international events.
The head of the United for Navid campaign, formed to protest the execution of Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari, sent a letter to IOC president Thomas Bach this week highlighting more than a half-dozen examples over the past 16 years of Iranian athletes intentionally losing matches that would set up meetings against Israelis, or withdrawing from competitions against athletes from that country.
IOC Urged to take action on Iran 04/20/21
Competing Against Israeli Competitors
campaign continue to stand together to demand that the International Olympic Committee (IOC)
immediately address the violations of the Olympic Charter by the Iran Olympic Committee.
Today, the United For Navid campaign has sent a follow up letter to the International Olympic
Committee with documented cases of athlete abuse and further breaches of the Olympic Charter.
These cases provide clear evidence that the Iran National Olympic Committee and Iranian Sport
continue to refuse their athletes the right to compete against Israeli athletes and continue to
threaten those who come forward.
Activists call for IOC to sanction Iran Olympic program
Thomas Bach, International Olympic Committee (IOC) President, speaks during press conference.(Du Xiaoyi/Pool Photo via AP) | April 20, 2021, 2:18 PM
April 20, 2021, 2:18 PM
LAUSANNE, Switzerland A group of athletes and human rights activists is calling on the IOC to sanction Iran s Olympic program for what it says is the country s long-running pattern of ordering athletes to avoid competing against Israelis in international events.
The head of the United for Navid campaign, formed to protest the execution of Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari, sent a letter to IOC president Thomas Bach this week highlighting more than a half-dozen examples over the past 16 years of Iranian athletes intentionally losing matches that would set up meetings against Israelis, or withdrawing from competitions against athletes from that country.