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

Originally posted by shoo

Originally posted by bios
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!

Actually - yes they do.
As a videographer freelancing for for ITN I personnally witnessed this.

[edit on 14-8-2004 by bios]

I find this regrettable. Unfortunately, Iran is not the only country to use the Olympics to political ends (which really defeats the purpose of the Games). I remember that during the ice hockey match between the Russian and Chezch teams in the winter Olympics, NBC thought it appropriate to show, during the breaks, the black-and-white documentary of the Soviet invasion of Prague many years ago, and how the Chezch were getting their sweet revenge now (the Russians lost).

That was both stupid and disgusting. These players weren't even born yet when this happened. They didn't come to the Olympics to avenge anything. Portraying Olypics as continuation of the human conflict is a disservice to the Olympic ideals. Unfortunately, this happened again in this case of the Iranian athlete.

Originally posted by shoo

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!

Are you saying that my post is anti-Iranian? I have nothing personaly against Iran or Iranians, only what this perticular individual is doing regardless of nationality. I'd feel the exact same way even if he came from my own country! I'm not taking Israel's side either here, I can't say I aprove of some of the things they do. I see this as athlete from country A quiting because he doesn't like country B and doesn't want to compete against their athletes.

If he is so disgusted by Israel he should have taken it out on his opponent. If I was an Olympic athletes and I had to go against an athlete from a country I didn't like, I'd be even more motivated to win.

Wait, he pulls back and the country supports him? What would have happened if Micheal Jordan had pulled out of the 1992 Olympics because the USA Basketball team were gonna play South Africa?(Were the blacks have rights in 1992?) And the fact that South Africa had a great chance to win and he didn't want to lose to them so he says he leaves for political reasons?(I doubt that South Africa would have, but this is an example) Would we have called him a hero and given him money? No, we would have been disgraced, as should the Iranians should be.

Originally posted by biosActually - yes they do.
As a videographer freelancing for for ITN I personnally witnessed this.

You speak their language?

@Ranger
Sorry, I just quoted all negative replies to give an overview of what people here think about that action and later, to show that something like that happened before through western nations. Not intended to make you look like an Iran-hater.

shoo...its not anti-Iranian. Its a simple fact that the man is a coward. If someone did the same thing he was doing from any other country, be it European, African, Asian, American, etc. then I would have said the exact same thing.

How can you say its anti-Iranian, since this athlete himself is being anti-Israeli? It goes both ways, so dont get all bent out of shape just because people are standing up against hatred in any form...and you cant tell me that this athlete simply didn't withdraw because of hatred. Hatred has no place at the Olympics, simply put!!

He was so worried what would have happened if he had LOST to the Israeli - probably would have been executed.

Iran is a semi-fascist state. It is run by lunatics who if they had complete control would plunge the country into the 15th Century.

Maybe but I think he's just an a**hole and a yellow belly. He should have tried to beat the tar out of the Israeli in the games, (Battle where no one gets hurt). Then if he lost there would be no shame because he tried his best. This guy just gave up. Ahh the Klingons are fuming over this one LOL. Can you imagine Mr. Worf pulling a stunt like that. No honor indeed.

Originally posted by shoo
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!

Korea does kill the families of detained people by testing chemicals, that includes children and babies according to defectors who actually carried out the work. No word of them eating the kids though.

Originally posted by shoo

Originally posted by biosActually - yes they do.
As a videographer freelancing for for ITN I personnally witnessed this.

You speak their language?

I didn't have to - they speak english as well as their native tongue and they were very proud of what they were teaching their kids.

HMM...
"You mean, that I can't strap this dynamite around my chest while competing
against the jew? Then I quit."

Quitter, coward, loser, crybaby...are the any Iranians reading this?
sissyboy, wimp, wannabe, chicken,

Cowardice, rewarded by a Terrorist nation..what else is new?


I heard the Iraqis were better athletes anyway..

Originally posted by Jazzerman
shoo...its not anti-Iranian.
...
....How can you say its anti-Iranian, since this athlete himself is being anti-Israeli?

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

No, it wasn't me drawing that stupid conclusion. Read one page before, somebody else draw his anti-iranian conclusion out of that.

Maybe but I think he's just an a**hole and a yellow belly. He should have tried to beat the tar out of the Israeli in the games,

I have to agree

Korea does kill the families of detained people by testing chemicals, that includes children and babies according to defectors who actually carried out the work. No word of them eating the kids though.

In the Kuwait-Baby-Case we had a whining woman pretending how bad Iraqis kild all the little babies. She was bought evidence to support a war.
Hm, could this be possible again? No way!
I wonder if she still lives, hope she was killed.

I didn't have to - they speak english as well as their native tongue and they were very proud of what they were teaching their kids.

So you are not sure about what they really said to the kids? Well, I am not saying this to provoke you but arabs can fools us all easily as noone of us understands the language. I guess you remember the cases where fbi and cia translators turned out to misstranslate.
If I am an Iranian and wanted to cheat on that american jerk I would tell him that we teach the kids that "people in israel eat muslims", prolly a good joke for them.

At least it would reflect a totally different image of Iranians than the one I got to know

Originally posted by shoo

I didn't have to - they speak english as well as their native tongue and they were very proud of what they were teaching their kids.

So you are not sure about what they really said to the kids? Well, I am not saying this to provoke you but arabs can fools us all easily as noone of us understands the language. I guess you remember the cases where fbi and cia translators turned out to misstranslate.
If I am an Iranian and wanted to cheat on that american jerk I would tell him that we teach the kids that "people in israel eat muslims", prolly a good joke for them.

At least it would reflect a totally different image of Iranians than the one I got to know

What I'm saying is the children speak and understand english which I saw and heard - I am fully aware of what was being said in english by both teachers and students as well as the pictorials in their text books.
I too got to know the iranian people and for the most part they are a friendly, well educated lot - but they are indeed taught in school many mistruths about the israelis - you can gloss it over anyway you see fit but what I witnessed was real, it was not a misinterpretation or anything else.
The school children are taught that israelis are subhuman canibals.

[edit on 14-8-2004 by bios]

Even though this Iranian was the reigning World Champ, his Israeli opponent, Ehud Vaks, is no slouch. It seems the Iranians saw him as a threat and rather then take the chance of one of their athletes losing to their enemy in a noble fashion, he "decided" to honor the Iranian position. Right...

This is no individual statement by a conscientious Iranian, in my opinion.

The 1980 Olympics were held in Moscow. I would understand (not agree with) if the Iranian team, or any Middle Eastern team decided not to attend the Olympics if they were held in Israel. We didn't refuse to face Soviets, we refused to send our athletes to their soil. The Eastern Bloc reciprocated by not sending its athletes to Los Angeles in '84. Those geo-political situations during Carter and Reagan Era Cold War are completely different then with this Iranian.

But I guess anything's game to be turned anti-US.

Israeli judoka Udi Vaks won his Olympics fight by default

His Iranian opponent, Arash Miresmaeili failed to make his under 66kg weight limit Sunday and is out of the Olympics

(Reuters)

[edit on 15-8-2004 by Riwka]

It is sad the this had to be brought into the Olympics. But, I guess we opened the door to this after we hosted the last Winter Olympics. Too much political showmanship. I just hope that it does not get out of hand and is only isolated. It is supposed to be void of politics. The Greek Opening Ceremonies were great as they left political stuff at the door. I hope they can control this. The terrorists are probably not the ones to worry about, I am guessing the internal arguing will put a damper on the Olympics if Athletes start to do this.

I do think that it is bad that even many on this board are stereotyping all Iranians because of the choice of one Athlete and his coach.

We are supposed to be promoting the spirit of human competition and goodwill. Sad... Just SAD!

Originally posted by Valhall

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?

No, its boycott on a personal level. Just because Iran didn't decide to boycott the games does not remove the right for the individual sportsman to make that decision for himself.
Face it, you were judging this fellow's decision too harshly.

And to all those who cried 'immature', its pretty easy to judge when you are not emotionally or physically involved in a conflict. The situation with Israel is very serious. It is a war that has been happening in slow motion for decades. To call those who feel the reality of that situation immature is ... not thoughtful enough.

U.

Originally posted by Aelita
I find this regrettable. Unfortunately, Iran is not the only country to use the Olympics to political ends (which really defeats the purpose of the Games). I remember that during the ice hockey match between the Russian and Chezch teams in the winter Olympics, NBC thought it appropriate to show, during the breaks, the black-and-white documentary of the Soviet invasion of Prague many years ago, and how the Chezch were getting their sweet revenge now (the Russians lost).

That was both stupid and disgusting. These players weren't even born yet when this happened. They didn't come to the Olympics to avenge anything. Portraying Olypics as continuation of the human conflict is a disservice to the Olympic ideals. Unfortunately, this happened again in this case of the Iranian athlete.

I see where you are coming from, but remember : the olympic ideal is just that, an ideal. We don't live in an ideal world, and I refuse to judge those who are incapable of wiping their awareness of history and present events clean, and pretend that everything is hunky dory for the sake of a commercialized spectacle. The games are awesome, but the world doesn't stop for them, and nor should it. I find any attempt to compartimentalize people's awareness on such a scale dangerous.

Problems are not solved by repressing reality, and unfortunately, the Games are one of the rare moments when almost the whole world is paying attention: prime time for making a point one feels must be made.

U.

World Judo officials now meeting to discuss sanctions against Iran, there is also a new twist that the judo champion failed to make weight for the match.

Where are those same human rights activists that certainly had no problemo kicking South Africa out the Olympics because of aparteid?

Politics aside...the match should have went on. Mayhaps the Olympic committee review of this will find that the Iranian team should be removed or withdraw, then maybe not, but this is certainly a shame. Maybe the Iranian felt he was going to lose.......?




seekerof