NEWS: Iranian Withdraws From Olympics Instead of Facing Israeli : UPDATE

The Olympic games just started and it has already turned ugly when Iran's world judo champion withdrew from competition to avoid having to compete against an Israeli opponent. The Iranian Olympic Team Chief said that Arash Miresmaeili, should be awarded $115,000 from Iranian sporting officials because he could have earned a medal at the games and withdrew to honor Iran's position that refuses to recognize Israel's right to exist.



Day one and already a controversy, it is sad that Iran would use it's athletes to make any political point but, not surprising given the recent threats the two have been throwing at each other.
I wonder if the athlete feels the same or was given orders to withdraw.

Related News Stories:
www.albawaba.com
sport.guardian.co.uk
www.islam-online.net

[edit on 8/15/04 by JacKatMtn]

If he has such a problem with Israel and the people, and is so renowed for his ability, why back down? Why not deal out a defeat and go on to claim the medal that he can supposedly get easily? And why reward the guy for backing out of competition? Usually withdrawing is a bad thing, at least when its for BS reasons and not a genuine one like a physical ailment, etc.

I'm starting to get tired of this silly immature crap, yes I said immature because thats what it is. I have nothing else to say 'cept that this is unbelievably stupid. This guy doesn't impress me and now looks like a coward to the Israelies who are probably laughing at the guy. I've said this so many time on ATS about israeli and muslim fighting: GROW UP FOR F*** SAKE'S. Pisses me off to see such immaturity, I've seen small act children more mature than this.... ....I bet the people who continue this nonsense would consider it blasphemy for me to even suggest the concept living in peace and respect each other, I must be some kind of nut.

This kind of crap is not what the olympics are all about

This is so childish. No matter what someone's religion is or their beliefs, behaving in this way is just immature. That Iranian doesn't deserve to be in the Olympic games if he acts this way. If he hates Israel so much, wouldn't it be better for him to beat them in the match rather than chickening out in such a cowardly way. He is a disgrace to everything the Olympics stand for, and the games are going to be much better without him.

It's political garbage, plus they would feel a bit humiliated if Isreal beat the pants off of them. At least they don't beat and kill their athletes when they loose. Imagine the relief Iraq's olympic team must have felt when they learned of Uday's most fortunate end.

and some people wonder why most world countries do not want Iran to have nuclear technology...

Originally posted by alternateheaven
If he has such a problem with Israel and the people, and is so renowed for his ability, why back down? Why not deal out a defeat and go on to claim the medal that he can supposedly get easily? And why reward the guy for backing out of competition? Usually withdrawing is a bad thing, at least when its for BS reasons and not a genuine one like a physical ailment, etc.

Originally posted by Ranger
I'm starting to get tired of this silly immature crap, yes I said immature because thats what it is. I have nothing else to say 'cept that this is unbelievably stupid. This guy doesn't impress me and now looks like a coward to the Israelies who are probably laughing at the guy. I've said this so many time on ATS about israeli and muslim fighting: GROW UP FOR F*** SAKE'S. Pisses me off to see such immaturity, I've seen small act children more mature than this.... ....I bet the people who continue this nonsense would consider it blasphemy for me to even suggest the concept living in peace and respect each other, I must be some kind of nut.

This kind of crap is not what the olympics are all about

Originally posted by Jazzerman
This is so childish. No matter what someone's religion is or their beliefs, behaving in this way is just immature. That Iranian doesn't deserve to be in the Olympic games if he acts this way. If he hates Israel so much, wouldn't it be better for him to beat them in the match rather than chickening out in such a cowardly way. He is a disgrace to everything the Olympics stand for, and the games are going to be much better without him.

Originally posted by flashburn
It's political garbage, plus they would feel a bit humiliated if Isreal beat the pants off of them. At least they don't beat and kill their athletes when they loose. Imagine the relief Iraq's olympic team must have felt when they learned of Uday's most fortunate end

Originally posted by zerotime
and some people wonder why most world countries do not want Iran to have nuclear technology...

Weeee! The usual anti-iranian garbage I have to read every day! A pitty that most people don't know that...

The 1980 Games were boycotted by 64 nations, led by the USA, to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan on Dec 27, 1979.

zerotime, as a genius as you are I have to assume from your brilliant statement that we should better take away all nuclear weapons from the USA, or?

Thanks for your time kids, cya tomorrow when we will learn that turkey is also a country and not only a dinner for thanksgiving!

Weeee! The usual anti-iranian garbage I have to read every day! A pitty that most people don't know that...

The 1980 Games were boycotted by 64 nations, led by the USA, to protest the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan on Dec 27, 1979.

zerotime, as a genius as you are I have to assume from your brilliant statement that we should better take away all nuclear weapons from the USA, or?

Nice try! but no cigar. If Iran wanted to make a political statement via its athletes, it would have followed suit of the 1980 games and boycotted...but it didn't. Instead, what this is is personal hatred and intolerance on the individual level.

Sorry...but this is bad form and you know it.

[edit on 8-14-2004 by Valhall]

Originally posted by Valhall
Nice try! but no cigar. If Iran wanted to make a political statement via its athletes, it would have followed suit of the 1980 games and boycotted...but it didn't. Instead, what this is is personal hatred and intolerance on the individual level.

Sorry...but this is bad form and you know it.

Nice try from you. I was drawing the parallel that it is not the first time people boycott the games for political reasons.

A bit reading and you would know that this athlet stated that he as individual is against the current Israeli government policy towards the palestinians.
You call this personal hatred and intolerance? Woah! Expressing your own opinion about a serious issue is intolerance says Valhall. That's bad form!

Iran looks better in this than the USA and other nations in the olympic past. While one of their athlets stays out for personal reasons which are cleary understandable, the Iranian government accepted the Olympic idea and send all athlets for competition.

By the way, your reaction and how you formulated it shows that you just tried to reply something against me without really having thought about. You want to talk about bad form?

If he didn't want to compete then why did he go there? Why didn't he just stay home? I don't get it. He trains for years to compete for his country then he refuses to compete. Did he think Israel would not show up. The man seems a bit nutty to me.

Originally posted by TexasConspiracyNut
If he didn't want to compete then why did he go there? Why didn't he just stay home? I don't get it. He trains for years to compete for his country then he refuses to compete. Did he think Israel would not show up. The man seems a bit nutty to me.

Basically his message is: I want to compete with people from all other nations and have no anger against them. But as the lot gave an Israeli athlet for competition I withdraw to express my disgust.

by the way: the Swedish track & field athlets considered to withdraw from the games till today.
Reason: they didn't want to compete with the 2 greek athlets that are currently in hospital and in suspicion of doping.
(but this is a different aspect now, not political, it's about sports. Just written as a sidenote)

[edit on 14-8-2004 by shoo]

This is pathetic and childish.

I feel sorry for the Israeli who was denied a chance to prove himself in front of the world. A further insult being the "compensation" he would receive for the Iranians childish behaviour.

Iran 's results in 2000
sportsillustrated.cnn.com...

Shoo: valid comparison IMO

Also, I guess there's the possibility that he was scared the Israeli would whip him in front of the whole world....we shouldn't discard that excuse either in our attempt to justify this unjustifiable move.

Yep, there's a possibility.

Originally posted by shoo

Basically his message is: I want to compete with people from all other nations and have no anger against them. But as the lot gave an Israeli athlet for competition I withdraw to express my disgust.

He should have swallowed his pride and competed instead of allowing his "disgust" to best him.

[edit on 14-8-2004 by flashburn]

Shoo- I think your criticism of the others was unfair. Most of us here in the states were just as mad when Carter boycotted the 1980 Olympics.

It was not a time for politics then or now. The athletes who train most of their lives for a chance to win shouldn't be used as political pawns to further anyone's agenda.

Personally, I think this kid would have competed, but was under intense pressure back home to withdraw.

This is nothing but cowardice on the part of the Iranians - they are just trying to save face so that they don't have to be matched up with an opponent that they detest who would have probably whipped their athlete's butt.

This from a country that teaches it's school children that Israelis are monkeys with fangs that eat arab children.

Ah, come on folks. Think about it. You live in Iran where poverty and repression are the order of the day. You are sent to Greece on a fabulous vacation to compete against the world's greatest athletes. You draw an Israeli to compete against. What luck! You don't have to compete to become an instant hero. You just make a political statement and go home to collect a king's ransom. No sweat, no gamble. It's a no-brainer.

Originally posted by GradyPhilpott
Ah, come on folks. Think about it. You live in Iran where poverty and repression are the order of the day. You are sent to Greece on a fabulous vacation to compete against the world's greatest athletes. You draw an Israeli to compete against. What luck! You don't have to compete to become an instant hero. You just make a political statement and go home to collect a king's ransom. No sweat, no gamble. It's a no-brainer.

Sounds about right to me.

Originally posted by bios
This is nothing but cowardice on the part of the Iranians - they are just trying to save face so that they don't have to be matched up with an opponent that they detest who would have probably whipped their athlete's butt.

Ahm? We are talking about one single Iranian athlet and his personal opinion.

This from a country that teaches it's school children that Israelis are monkeys with fangs that eat arab children.

No they don't. I wonder what is taught in your school that you belief that!

By the way. You remember the story that the Iraqis should have murdered babies in an hospital during the invasion of Kuwait?
You remember that western media once reported that in North Corea little children are murdered and eaten? Hey, even if they teach it - the west gives the idea!


@Bleys
I wasn't criticising that people are against those political actions, I am as well! But that this incident is used to show what a bad country Iran is, isn't fair and just wrong.

@GradyPhilpott
True.