Paid $125,000 for Olympic no show

[KickChick]

Iran has given Judo world champion Arash Miresmaeili a $125,000 (70,000 pounds) reward, saying he sacrificed a gold medal at the Athens Olympics by refusing to fight an Israeli, a sports official says.

"He would definitely have won a gold medal if he had taken part," the sports official, who declined to be named, said on Tuesday.

"By refusing to fight, Miresmaeili followed the policies of the country," the official added.

Iran has refused to recognise the Jewish state's right to exist since its 1979 Islamic revolution.

The International Judo Federation had considered a sanction against Miresmaeili during the Games but concluded that he had been overweight for the fight and could not have taken part.

The International Olympic Committee also did not take any action.

Do you believe they should have?

And with Miresmaeili eventually being scratched because he was overweight.... he gets $125,000 !!

[RichieRich]

hard to say if it was a nice gesture or a cop out..

[KickChick]

Well it apparently is not the first time Iranians have declined to fight against Israeli opponents as it also happened at the 2001 world judo championships.

Seems though that Miresmaeili was suspected of intentionally gaining weight to avoid fighting his opponent and the IJF has no rule for penalising overweight athletes.

You say a "gesture"??

How about being compensated by Iran, and being rewarded for blowing off the competition with the same bonus he would have been in line to receive had he won the gold medal..... a compensation for his stance.

[RichieRich]

It would be nice if it was part of some sort of concillitory gesture, which it may be - a refusal to fight even though there is personal loss.

We live in hope!

[KickChick]

Don't you think the rules of sport were mocked, the spirit of the Olympic movement trashed?

[RichieRich]

There are somethings bigger that the olympics -
Man's love for his brother man hopefully being one.

I don't endorse the state rewarding the guy though, it then becomes propaganda..

Perhaps Eric not running on a Sunday in "Chariots of Fire" is a similar stance?

[KickChick]

Perhaps Eric not running on a Sunday in "Chariots of Fire" is a similar stance?

But do we honestly know that it was Miresmaeili's personal choice not to compete against the Israeli? It appears to have been a state-sanctioned act which undermined the spirit of this competition.... why athletes gather for the Olympics.

An IJF spokesman said it best, "At the Olympics you have to share the values of the Olympic spirit." There are a record 202 National Olympic Committees represented in Athens. If Iran wants to play by its own rules, the IOC would be better off with 201."

[RichieRich]

The Olympics is no stranger to falling foul of both governmental and corporate politics:

Coca Cola (GmbH) were the German bottlers for Coke under the leadership of the CEO Max Keith (pronounced Kite).

Coke sponsored the 1936 Nazi Olympics where Hitler showcased his Aryan vision to the world, while hiding the "Don't shop at Jewish shops" posters.

Coca Cola GmbH sought to be associated with the Nazis, it became a bit of a joke that if Hitler or a high ranking Nazi was on the front cover of a magazine Coke would advertise on the back.

Coke advertised on billboards, that were by the Berlin stadiums, so people attending Goebbel's rallies had to walk past them.


I think the spirit of the Olympics died a long time ago...

[KickChick]

:confused:

How on earth does "Coke" fit in? When did it become a country?

A bit of a pessimistic Nihlistic Technofetishist ? ;)

[RichieRich]

Coke is one of the olympic sponsors (and world cup too) for that matter and havs a lot of say in the Olympics. Let's not Pretend the olympics isn't:

a) Corrupt
b) About money

I picked on coke as an example of an Olympic "swayer" - there are many others.

Pessimistic? Every silver lining has a cloud ;)

[Freeform]

Miresmaeili is a former world medal winner at his weight. It is inconceivable that a player at this level would be (I think it was) 2 kg overweight, thats totally deliberate and the IJF should take some form of sanction against him.

Col

[Kwajman]

KC, I see both sides of the story, but Richie has a real point about the Games being so corrupt and politicized these days. I used to love watching the olympics when I was a child, the first games I remember seeing was the 1968 Mexico games. Even then there was the black panther thing, 72' Munich the farce of the basketball game and the athletes being murdered, the 80 and 84 boycots. I just don't see it as a real big deal anymore. All the medal controversies, the skating scandals, the Salt Lake City bribary scandals by the americans. It has no realistic ideals anymore. Even 2008 in Beijing may be scarred, Beijing may not allow Taiwan to compete.

I watch the olympics only for individual events, not even a whole sport, just an event. I didn't watch the opening or closing ceremony, that used to be some of my favorite parts to watch. The kicker was I was at dinner in a sports restaurant here in Wisconsin and there were people cheering AGAINST the mens basketball team in the game on tv. I was really sad.

Regarding the Iranian. He chose politics over sportsmanship. I don't know if the IOC can sanction anyone, I think they should if its in the rules. If Iran wants to pay him, they can. We pay our athletes to train in many cases.

[johndoch]

This stuff has gone on for years. How is what the Iranian done any different to the americans Boycotting the Moscow olympics or china boycotting the Olympics because of Taiwan :confused:

[KickChick]

This stuff has gone on for years. How is what the Iranian done any different to the americans Boycotting the Moscow olympics or china boycotting the Olympics because of Taiwan :confused:


Well then Iran could have also "boycotted" ("prior to") or otherwise not be represented at the Olympics rather than devising what seemed to be a plan (weight gain) so as athlete would be disqualified.

[johndoch]

So when was the draw made? How long did the Iranian know beforehand that he was to face an Israeli.

[Kwajman]

Here I agree with KC, if he doesn't want to face an israeli, he shouldn't have entered in the first place. And then to 'be overweight' when the draw is made is a cowards way out. If he is going to withdraw for politics, he should have stood up like a man and said what the real reason was for his withdrawal.

:bang:

[RichieRich]

Also see here:

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlinenews?id=310080&cc=5901

A similar thing in the European soccer/football* Champions league.


*Delete as appropriate.

[Furikuchan]

And the story gets worse!
I KNEW there was something screwy going on around here! They're rewarding this guy for perpetuating racism...So much for Mutual Benefit and Welfare.
One of the senseis at my dojo thinks that Iran should be disqualified from international competition for the next four years for this stunt. Comments?

[Captain_Coward]

I still don't see why they don't just stand up and say they are not prepared to fight an Isreali, if you are going to make a political statement why not do it properly. To gain weight intentionally or feint injury seems to defeat the point.

K

[KickChick]

And the story gets worse!
I KNEW there was something screwy going on around here! They're rewarding this guy for perpetuating racism.


Which is why I posted this thread .... :D :woo:

[RichieRich]

Yeah, its definatley bad.. Failing to recognize another country is poor. The problem really comes from athletes belonging to countries and countries then having political agendas. I wait for the day when people are aggregated by ideas and not geography. Oh, I got all PoMo there for a second! :D

[ANVIL]

I think the spirit of the Olympics died a long time ago...

i couldn't agree more - prior to this Olympics, Oxfam were running a 'fair trade' campaign that questioned how exactly the manufacturing of sports equipment and clothing in sweatshops fits in with the 'Olympic spirit'. It's also worth noting that the next Olympics will be held in China, a nation that is consistently criticised for its human rights abuses and its occupation of Tibet, by the US, UN and AI, to name but a few. Over 1 million Tibetans are estimated to have died at the hands of the Chinese since their occupation, yet despite this and the widespread reporting of continuing human rights abuses, the IOC chooses to ignore the 'politics'. Is ignoring murder and torture really in the 'Olympic spirit'? To refuse to allow the games to take place in China would seem to me to be more inkeeping with fairplay and decency, etc.

I appreciate the point about the Iranian Judo player, and watching the opening and closing celebrations as well as some of the games really highlighted sports' capacity to bring people together, but IMO, the 'Olympic spirit' has been compromised and undermined by the IOC etc. more than it ever will be by athletes.

[Graham]

He did say he didn't want to fight for political reasons.

The problem really comes from athletes belonging to countries and countries then having political agendas.

What about the US atheletes boycoting the 1980 Moscow olympics for political reasons?

[KickChick]

What about the US atheletes boycoting the 1980 Moscow olympics for political reasons?


johndoch already mentioned that fact and I responeded that ....

"Iran could have also "boycotted" ("prior to") or otherwise not be represented at the Olympics rather than devising what seemed to be a plan (weight gain) so as athlete would be disqualified."

[Freeform]

Bear in mind that if he had fought an Israeli he probably woud have gotten a 'special welcome' back home.

Being overweight was probably his personal best option out of the situation.

Col

[johndoch]

I've read that the guy was told not to fight by the Iranian Authorities, and to be quite honest I wouldnt blame the guy for backing out if that was the case. I dont think its advisable to upset the Iranian authorities, especially where matters like this are concerned (ie middle eastern politics).

[Freeform]

I've read that the guy was told not to fight by the Iranian Authorities, and to be quite honest I wouldnt blame the guy for backing out if that was the case. I dont think its advisable to upset the Iranian authorities, especially where matters like this are concerned (ie middle eastern politics).

Yep, and if people think China has a bad human rights record........

[Kwajman]

If the *fill in the blank* athlete didn't want to compete against an israeli, then they shouldn't be there in the first place. I have no problem with a team boycotting the games. I wish it wouldn't happen, but I'd prefer them being a no-show than getting all political once they are there. Truth be told, the iranian probably would have loved to go against the jewish guy. But if he had lost? Probably wouldn't be pretty.

[DexterTCN]

So when was the draw made? How long did the Iranian know beforehand that he was to face an Israeli.

He would have known merely by looking at the draw. afaik it is illegal for Iranians to come into contact with Israelis, we certainly would not want him to be prosecuted when he returned home.

He gets his money and looks honourable, his government has given him reparation and taken the heat. He keeps his career and there is no long term damage to any parties involved.

No harm done, I say.

btw I seem to remember a closed door meeting a while back for a football draw where the whole world knew it was fixed to keep Iraq and the US apart.

[ANVIL]

Yep, and if people think China has a bad human rights record........

sorry for getting away from the real issue on this particular thread, but in response to the above quote...

China does have a bad human rights record, it's a fact, as any member of AI (or anyone else with an active, and not passive, interest in human rights will tell you), and while it's not a competition, it's easily comparable with Iran, but less widely publicised.

[Sauron9949]

I have to say i'm in two minds about this issue.

When i first heard i thought and felt that the competitor should have been punished severely, as this is exactly what the olympics is all about stopping. It is supposed to help bring all the people of the world together in a common ground, sports.

The laws of his country are quite clear on the issue of him compting against an israeli judoka and I believe it is in his best interests considering the reputation of his nation.

I also feel that his nation should be punished for this law, by perhaps a 12 month ban from all international sports? But that might be punishing people who would compete against an israeli competitor, and is that really fair? My immediate thought is to come down hard on any country or sportsman who has this attitude, but punishing the country could hurt decent people only wanting to compete, and punishing the people because of their contries law isn't right.

In the instance of intentionally gaining weight to be exempt from competing is wrong and if it was the competitor, punish him, the country, punish them. Dropping out for racist political reasons (in my oppinion) they should at least take what is coming to them and not try to hide behind official rules.

Thanks
Sauron

[KickChick]

Well I guess the Japanese featherweight Uchishiba was ecstatic about the absence of the Iranian and managed to get the judo gold for Japan .... I guess he had a real bad year prior and failed to qualify for last year's Osaka world championships.... he was in such a slump that he considered retirement.

He won in the 66kg and under class with a knockout ippon win over Slovakia's Jozef Krnac.

But of course, Uchishiba's victory was overshadowed by Miresmaeili's surprising failure to make the weight ... and the rest of the controversy that followed.