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Iran bans weightlifter for life after he shakes Israeli’s hand on podium (www.aljazeera.com)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Iran has banned a weightlifter from sports for life and dissolved a sports committee after the athlete greeted an Israeli counterpart on a podium.

Mostafa Rajaei, a veteran weightlifter, finished second in his category in the 2023 World Master Weightlifting Championships in Poland and stood on a podium with an Iranian flag wrapped around him on Saturday.

On anther step of the podium stood Maksim Svirsky from Israel, who finished third.

The two athletes shook hands and took a picture together, which led to the Iran Weightlifting Federation banning Rajaei from all sports for life due to what it called an “unforgivable” transgression.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (1 children)

This sounds fake to me. I know the media always lies to make the state department happy so I shouldn't be surprised. I am just no used to them putting out propaganda in this direction

[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

Why does it sound fake? Iran's made its position on Israeli athletes quite clear. It will not allow its athletes to compete with Israeli athletes.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago) (19 children)

Usually take Iran's side on stuff, but this is kinda pointlessly petty tbh

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (20 children)

Hey! So I very much understand wanting to take the side of people who are oppressed in some way.

I think a way to do this without supporting oppressive regimes is to specifically support the people, and not the government.

Your comment was unclear, and because of that people are taking it as you supporting the government of Iran. I think most sane people agree that they suck. The people though - they are some of the kindest people I have ever met, and do not deserve the violence that they have experienced.

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[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Yeah usually I find it absurd when anti Israel (Israel, for the lobs reading this, is a murderous fascistic apartheid state actively doing a genocide) stuff is painted as antisemitism, but this is sure seems to be