Judo 2019 Discussion Thread

[LDOG 2,418]

While the tone of the article is frankly hilarious, there is no way around it... his country is actively sabotaging his career. If not for another nation he should be allowed as refugee or independent athlete next year. 

 

If Iran is suspended every other israel-boycotting nation should be as well, of course. 

Yes, probably nothing will change in those countries but in the sport world the rules are these... and sport-ruling bodies aren't the UN, every country is legally binded to their decisions if they want to take part. 

[AmericanHero40 213]

3 hours ago, LDOG said:

While the tone of the article is frankly hilarious, there is no way around it... his country is actively sabotaging his career. If not for another nation he should be allowed as refugee or independent athlete next year. 

 

If Iran is suspended every other israel-boycotting nation should be as well, of course. 

Yes, probably nothing will change in those countries but in the sport world the rules are these... and sport-ruling bodies aren't the UN, every country is legally binded to their decisions if they want to take part. 

Kuwait was suspended from Rio due to exactly that

[Dragon 1,844]

https://www.insidethegames.biz/articles/1084238/saeid-mollaei-world-judo-championships

 

"Former world champion Saeid Mollaei has revealed he is seeking asylum after confirming Iranian officials threatened to hurt him and his family if he did not withdraw or deliberately lose at the International Judo Federation (IJF) World Championships last week."

[Griff88 1,952]

3 hours ago, LDOG said:

While the tone of the article is frankly hilarious, there is no way around it... his country is actively sabotaging his career. If not for another nation he should be allowed as refugee or independent athlete next year. 

 

If Iran is suspended every other israel-boycotting nation should be as well, of course. 

Yes, probably nothing will change in those countries but in the sport world the rules are these... and sport-ruling bodies aren't the UN, every country is legally binded to their decisions if they want to take part. 

No one will really miss them anyway

[heywoodu 15,135]

Just now, Griff88 said:

No one will really miss them anyway

Not entirely true. I'd miss the athletes who are forced to lose and whose careers are sabotaged by petty politics.

[Griff88 1,952]

Just now, heywoodu said:

Not entirely true. I'd miss the athletes who are forced to lose and whose careers are sabotaged by petty politics.

I was talking about the countries.

 

The athletes, I believe, will be readily accommodated by the neutral flag policy. Unless they got locked up by the secret police or have their passports revoked, that's another story.

[Dunadan 1,103]

Just now, Maxim Fastovsky said:

Kuwait was suspended from Rio due to exactly that

Nope, Kuwait was suspended for government interference as their law allowed the government to take control of the NOC and the sports federations.

[AmericanHero40 213]

Just now, Dunadan said:

Nope, Kuwait was suspended for government interference as their law allowed the government to take control of the NOC and the sports federations.

 

Werent they suspended because they didnt let Israelis in to a shooting competition? 

[Dunadan 1,103]

Just now, Maxim Fastovsky said:

 

Werent they suspended because they didnt let Israelis in to a shooting competition? 

 

I don't know if Kuwait refused entry to Israeli shooters but that's certainly not the reason for suspending their NOC, that has been suspended a few times for government interference. 

 

Quote

Further sports legislation was enacted, however, in early 2015 that conferred upon the Kuwaiti Sports Ministry the power to assume control of national sporting bodies, as well the ability to control financial matters6. Consequently, Kuwait’s NOC was disbanded by the Kuwaiti Sport Ministry, purportedly due to financial irregularities, as were nine other national federations including basketball, football, handball, judo and swimming7. Interim committees were established to take over the administration of such sports, headed by figures widely viewed as being loyal to the Kuwaiti Sports Ministry8. The IOC took the view that Kuwait had failed to ameliorate the position by the IOC’s deadline of 27 October 2015; and, its NOC was suspended again. This came shortly after FIFA had imposed its own suspension on Kuwait’s football association (“KFA”), having failed to meet FIFA’s 15 October 2015 deadline for corrective action9. Sixteen further international sports federations subsequently followed suit.

 

https://www.lawinsport.com/content/sports/item/governmental-interference-in-global-sport-why-kuwait-is-still-in-the-olympic-wilderness

[phelps 7,670]

6 hours ago, MHSN said:

IJF made a nice story out of it. they probably can even make a movie. (unfortunately no movie about the Algerian Judoka, that's not an interesting topic as much as Iran)

https://www.ijf.org/news/show/the-true-story-of-a-fight-for-life

 

and to make a good movie, you have to be prepared and IJF was well prepared . interesting that they took pictures/videos of him and his coach long before the matches, they set the whole thing and the Iranian officials were stupid enough to fall into the trap. now we know more about the truth actually they knew it (or at least they were suspicious), that's why they didn't send anybody else, they also didn't want to send Mollaei (that's why Judoinside wrote an article about that but they later deleted it, it seems that website is so close to IJF, they even knew IJF's secret plans) but he threatened the Iranian officials that he will participate under IJF flag so they let him participate.

 

IJF had this plan for few months, they talked to Mollaei before about it, thanks to Mollaei now they have hard evidence to put Iran under pressure. I wrote about this possibility in April, that was when Mollaei started to feel he doesn't need Iran anymore, he thinks he is #1 and he is marrying a German girl. so he can do whatever he wants.

 

as someone who knows almost everything inside and out about the sport system in Iran, I can tell most of what he claims in that interview is correct, but that family part is a big fat lie, that's actually what IJF is putting in his mouth, he doesn't say that directly. he is now IJF's slave, he will do whatever IJF tells him to do. IJF is his only option. but I wonder if they really threatened his family he was only worried about his family when he was in Japan ? he is not worried anymore ? I know how they threaten, they tell you "if you do that, you will have problems" (Mollaei also says such thing in his interview and I believe him) they never say exactly what kind of problems, to make you keep guessing. but in fact there is no "official rule" forcing athletes to boycott Israelis . this is an unwritten policy . that is in fact an empty threat and Mollaei knows that.

 

Mollaei opened the Pandora's box, nobody dared to do that before, I'm not sure that will benefit him too. he will be easily forgotten if he doesn't win the gold in Tokyo. and obviously this is not going to help the young kids training Judo in Iran because now Iran Judo Federation being suspended is 100% guaranteed and I'm afraid the consequences won't be limited to Judo. (which is not even 1% important here) people are stupid if they think that will force Iran to change a policy, behind the scene talks maybe but obvious and direct pressure never works because Iranians are stupidly proud and never give up on pressure even if that's destroying. Iran boycotted two Olympics before, they can boycott more Olympics and live with that. only Iranian ordinary athletes (and fans) will get hurt but who cares.

 

bottom line, This policy is not going to change unless the whole system changes in Iran which I lost hope to see that in my life time, that will happen one day but not anytime soon.

 

thanks for sharing...

 

I'm trying to understand all points of view (Mollaei's, IRI federation's, IRI politicians'...all of them), but I have the bitter feeling that this situation has been and still is being managed in the worst possible way by all the actors, especially IJF, who are trying to do something they really shouldn't, i.e. mixing politics with sports...

 

I hope nobody get hurt too much after that...but I'm not so sure this story is gonna have a happy ending...