Very Mature, Iran.

[75th]

Olympics Hit by Crisis Over Iran-Israel Contest
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Aug 15, 11:11 AM (ET)

By Douglas Hamilton

ATHENS (Reuters) - Iran's world judo champion Arash Miresmaeili refused to compete against an Israeli Sunday, triggering a fresh crisis at the Olympic Games where race, creed or color are barred from interfering in sport.

The International Judo Federation (IJF) failed to agree how to deal with the politically explosive issue at an emergency meeting and said it would hold further talks Monday.

The burning issue was whether any penalty would hit Miresmaeili alone or the entire Iranian team, as the intrusion of the Middle East's bitter politics threatened to fly in the face of the Olympic ideal.

"There has been no decision and we are considering this situation very carefully," said IJF spokesman Michel Brousse.

"This has not been brought to us as an issue and until it is, we would not have any comment," said a spokeswoman for the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which pledges to uphold the ideal of sport transcending national barriers.

The official reason at the Games for Miresmaeili's non-appearance was failure to make the weight but judo chiefs questioned how a seasoned athlete, who carried Iran's flag at Friday's opening ceremony, would have made such a basic error.

REAL REASON

But in Tehran, the Iranian National Olympic Committee said in a statement: "This is a general policy of our country to refrain from competing against athletes of the Zionist regime and Arash Miresmaeili has observed this policy."

Iran has refused to recognize Israel's right to exist since Islamic fundamentalists toppled the Shah in 1979.

Miresmaeili, who had been due to fight Israeli Ehud Vaks, was quoted by Iran's official news agency IRNA as saying he acted in solidarity with the Palestinians.

"Although I have trained for months and am in shape I refused to face my Israeli rival in sympathy with the oppressed Palestinian people," said Miresmaeili, 66 kg world champion in 2001 and 2003. "I am not upset about the decision I have made."

In a fresh doping case, Slovak shot putter Milan Haborak tested positive for a banned substance and left the Olympics, the Slovak news agency SITA reported.

"I really am sorry because I was really looking forward to competing. I trained long and hard. But I do not know that I took something that is banned," SITA quoted Haborak as saying.

Team spokesman Anton Zerer refused to comment on the report.

The Games were rocked last Thursday when Greece's top two athletes, Olympic 200 meters champion Costas Kenteris and 100 meters silver medallist Katerina Thanou, missed a dope test.

They were dropped from the host nation's team Saturday pending an IOC disciplinary hearing Monday.

 

[Robert Jan]

It's nicer when instead of this shit, they play extra hard to try and beat the country they don't like.

The chess matches in the cold war were cool...

 

[75th]

I grew out of the whole "coodie" notion when I was in 3rd grade. Some cultures really need to get over themselves.

 

[Robert Jan]

whats a coodie

 

[75th]

whats a coodie

When you make a big deal about not touching someone because you think they are infected with something icky.

"Ewww, dont touch her, she has coodies!"

Kids are stupid. Obviously, so are some Iranians.

 

[Robert Jan]

I dont think it's a touching thing. If they were fencing and not about to touch one another he'd probably have pulled out too

 

[75th]

I dont think it's a touching thing. If they were fencing and not about to touch one another he'd probably have pulled out too

Oh, youre definately right. It just reminded me of the whole coodie fiasco because of how immature it was.

 

[GoldenDelicious]

you dont want to leave the bullshit behind and compete for pure sport, then dont fucking turn up. thats the way it pretty much goes.

 

[HUCKLEBERRY FINNaplex]

you dont want to leave the bullshit behind and compete for pure sport, then dont fucking turn up. thats the way it pretty much goes.

YEP...Stay the fuck home.

 

[ChefWide]

How did you all feel about the entire US team boycotting an olympic games?

 

[Robert Jan]

He could not have made his statement and not have spoilt the games by staying home though...

once people are going to choose not to show up to the olympics its going to be downhill for that tradition.

 

[75th]

How did you all feel about the entire US team boycotting an olympic games?

I think its entirely different when a country boycotts the entire games on principle than when a country shows up but refuses to go up against someone from a particular country.

Carter's reason for boycotting the Olympics was because the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan went against the very spirit of the games. The Iranian's reason for not going up against a Jew is, much like the soviet invasion, the complete opposite of what the Olympics stand for.

 

[ChefWide]

Leave politics at home. Pure sport. i think the iranian decision is childish and stupid, but how does carter protesting one governments actions any better than an iranian protesting another governments actions?

They are both stupid.

 

[EnderJE]

Maybe he's just afraid?

 

[HUCKLEBERRY FINNaplex]

Maybe he's just afraid?

Off topic-Ender have you seen Zatoichi?I hear it's amazing.

 

[the nature boy]

They should just take it to the street.

Anyway, I don't blame the guy for not participating agaist the Israeli. Shit could happen to him when he returned home to Iran.

 

[BileStew]

They should just take it to the street.

Anyway, I don't blame the guy for not participating agaist the Israeli. Shit could happen to him when he returned home to Iran.

If that is the case, then as others said...stay home.

And Chef, I agree...leave politics at home. Carter using our athletes as political pawns and holding them back was pure bullshit. I had a buddy who was on the US Boxing team that year and he was fucked over because of some Cold War/political stance that years current administration had. He's still bitter about that.

And Russia was no better in boycotting the LA games in 84. Athletes break their asses for 4+ years for one shot at Gold and the rug is pulled out from underneath them because some bureaucrat. had a burr up his ass.

 

[EnderJE]

Off topic-Ender have you seen Zatoichi?I hear it's amazing.

Yeah. It has action, comedy, drama, sadness, and a dance number. My brother suggested it and I was really surprised how much I loved it. I love it when I go to a movie house and expect it to suck and it's great.

 

[HUCKLEBERRY FINNaplex]

Yeah. It has action, comedy, drama, sadness, and a dance number. My brother suggested it and I was really surprised how much I loved it. I love it when I go to a movie house and expect it to suck and it's great.

Can't wait till they expand theater numbers on it so I can see it.

Sorry for the hijack guys.

 

[Shaitan]

Off topic-Ender have you seen Zatoichi?I hear it's amazing.

Very good movie, one of the best I have seen for years! Dont miss it bro

 

[IwouldSlamU]

the guy is scared to lose to an isreali, hahahaha he would be disowned by his country, i would love to see the isreali kick the shit out of him.

 

[MattTheSkywalker]

Leave politics at home. Pure sport. i think the iranian decision is childish and stupid, but how does carter protesting one governments actions any better than an iranian protesting another governments actions?

They are both stupid.

Carter is a US president. It is not as if the Supreme ruler of Iran told his athletes not to do this. This was one guy with a stick up his ass; he is not in the position of a statesman, he is a judo competitor. When the games are over, he will go back to his job polishing minarets, pumping gas, or whatever he does.

Carter remained President / statesman before, during, and after the Olympics.

That's the difference. Duh.


In other news, even if the comparsion were valid, and an individual American athlete were to do the same thing, two wrongs neither make a right nor prove a point. I am distressed to see you, an otherwise evidently intelligent person succumb to the "it's all the same / we're no better than they are" thought process.

This conveniently ignores the fact that Iran is one of the most oppressive regimes on Earth, and the USSR was the greatest killer of people since the bubonic plague.

The US, which, for reasons unknowable, you seem to hate, is a paradise compared to either the USSR or Iran, and, though we are deeply flawed as a nation, we will not get better when people seek to equate this country with some of the world's true backwaters.

 

[IwouldSlamU]

Look, it was stupid of carter do do that. the whole point of olympics is to get together in good sport, Carter really fucked alot of American sports players by doing that. We attacked afgastan(sp)* we should have let russia take over that shitty country.

 

[Robert Jan]

I had an American English teacher in HS who was on the US olympic wrestling team but didn't get to go

 

[Dial_tone]

I think they should send the entire Iranian team home.

 

[ChefWide]

Carter is a US president. It is not as if the Supreme ruler of Iran told his athletes not to do this. This was one guy with a stick up his ass; he is not in the position of a statesman, he is a judo competitor. When the games are over, he will go back to his job polishing minarets, pumping gas, or whatever he does.

Carter remained President / statesman before, during, and after the Olympics.

That's the difference. Duh.


In other news, even if the comparsion were valid, and an individual American athlete were to do the same thing, two wrongs neither make a right nor prove a point. I am distressed to see you, an otherwise evidently intelligent person succumb to the "it's all the same / we're no better than they are" thought process.

This conveniently ignores the fact that Iran is one of the most oppressive regimes on Earth, and the USSR was the greatest killer of people since the bubonic plague.

The US, which, for reasons unknowable, you seem to hate, is a paradise compared to either the USSR or Iran, and, though we are deeply flawed as a nation, we will not get better when people seek to equate this country with some of the world's true backwaters.

You are smarter than to assume that my comment was comparing the standard of living or liberties in our two countries. THAT would be stupid. I happen to love our country and you pulling the 'because you vigourously point out our double standards you must be antiamerican" card is below your usual level of discourse, Matt. It smacks of the usual neo-con 'either you shut up or you're un-american' claptrap. You don't usually stoop like that... why now?

Carter, although a good man and the best EX-president we have ever had, made a lame duck gesture in boycotting the olympics and should have let the games be what they are in definition.

If he was so actively trying to undue this foul regime, why the hell didn't he discontinue any and all of the Wheat trade? Why didn't he demand that all of NATO stop buying Soviet oil, the only thing that was keeping that regime close to solvent? No, he made a wastefull and in the long term useless move of boycotting the olympics. Whoop de doo.

Keep politics out of the olympics. All politics.

 

[Subzeero]

the guy is scared to lose to an isreali, hahahaha he would be disowned by his country, i would love to see the isreali kick the shit out of him.

before u make any other ill informed statement bro.. this guy is a two time world champ. I have heard a lot about their standards in wrestling. Its a part of their daily cultural events and a big way for them to express male supremacy. They are usually strong built too. This is why this is such a big deal for them since wrestling means a lot to them. Anyhoo, he will be disowned if he loses. As guys stated before, they should've been up for it and kicked the shit out of each other. Glorious victory or shameful defeat. He doesn't have balls, thats the only problem.

 

[MAX 300]

The boycotts of '80 and '84 were low points in modern Olympics. So was the terrorist attack in '72. Allowing Germany to host the '36 games was the lowest point though.

I hope the Iranian people get rid off their autocratic, fanatic regime before too long.

 

[ChefWide]

The boycotts of '80 and '84 were low points in modern Olympics. So was the terrorist attack in '72. Allowing Germany to host the '36 games was the lowest point though.

I hope the Iranian people get rid off their autocratic, fanatic regime before too long.

No likely. It's in the US best interest to keep the majority of worlds population under tyranical control... the only thing wrong with Iran right now in the eyes of the US is that they have the wrong flavor of autocratic, fanatical regime.

A wise man once said in regards to a war with china, 'You want to crush the US? Just surrender.'

 

[IwouldSlamU]

The boycotts of '80 and '84 were low points in modern Olympics. So was the terrorist attack in '72. Allowing Germany to host the '36 games was the lowest point though.

I hope the Iranian people get rid off their autocratic, fanatic regime before too long.

I hope so too but i think deep down inside many of them like it

 

[satchboogie]

damn muslim extemist bastards..

proof that evil does indeed exist!

nuke em bush!
nuke em!!!!

 

[RottenWillow]

Carter is a US president. It is not as if the Supreme ruler of Iran told his athletes not to do this. This was one guy with a stick up his ass; he is not in the position of a statesman, he is a judo competitor.

How do you know he wasnt told to refuse to fight an Israeli? Iran still doesnt recognize the legitimacy of a jewish state, so it's quite conceivable he was instructed to forfeit that match.

 

[ceo]

Look, it was stupid of carter do do that. the whole point of olympics is to get together in good sport, Carter really fucked alot of American sports players by doing that. We attacked afgastan(sp)* we should have let russia take over that shitty country.

We "attacked" Afghanistan to "oust" the Taliban regime (Saudi's) which we (USA) helped put there to fight against the Russian invasion. They successfully fought off the Russians, then drove Afghanistan to become "that shitty country" of which you speak. Do you think the Afghan people liked having fucking Saudi's come in and take over their country and impose an extremist regime? How would you like that to happen to you then have other people blame you for it? To have others call you and your country "shitty" because of it? Especially when the government of those people calling your country "shitty" was responsible for your country becoming "shitty"?

Everything the US government does is for the benefit of the US government, and not this smoke and mirrors show of a "we're the great selfless liberators" bullshit the media spews.

Wake the fuck up.

 

[Subzeero]

We "attacked" Afghanistan to "oust" the Taliban regime (Saudi's) which we (USA) helped put there to fight against the Russian invasion. They successfully fought off the Russians, then drove Afghanistan to become "that shitty country" of which you speak. Do you think the Afghan people liked having fucking Saudi's come in and take over their country and impose an extremist regime? How would you like that to happen to you then have other people blame you for it? To have others call you and your country "shitty" because of it? Especially when the government of those people calling your country "shitty" was responsible for your country becoming "shitty"?

Everything the US government does is for the benefit of the US government, and not this smoke and mirrors show of a "we're the great selfless liberators" bullshit the media spews.

Wake the fuck up.

read that again and again and again and again and again and again. Finally someone that makes a statement with taking factual events in consideration. Some of us don't know what we are talking about. That makes other people very angry and thats why we need to stay away from politics here.

 

[canadianhitman]

Since it's their policy and all, the whole Iranian team should be expelled from the games. Furthermore, they should not be admitted into the games in the future until this policy of not competing against 'zionists' is abolished.

 

[canadianhitman]

By the way, I don't like how easily this guy and the Iranians as a whole have gotten off in the press. Can you imagine if it'd been a Jew or a Christian who refused to compete against a "filthy Muslim terrorist"??? Shit woulda hit the fan then...I hate the double standard.

 

[PIGEON-RAT]

We "attacked" Afghanistan to "oust" the Taliban regime (Saudi's) which we (USA) helped put there to fight against the Russian invasion. They successfully fought off the Russians, then drove Afghanistan to become "that shitty country" of which you speak. Do you think the Afghan people liked having fucking Saudi's come in and take over their country and impose an extremist regime? How would you like that to happen to you then have other people blame you for it? To have others call you and your country "shitty" because of it? Especially when the government of those people calling your country "shitty" was responsible for your country becoming "shitty"?

Everything the US government does is for the benefit of the US government, and not this smoke and mirrors show of a "we're the great selfless liberators" bullshit the media spews.

Wake the fuck up.

just one note, the taliban were pakistani

 

[ceo]

just one note, the taliban were pakistani

Osama bin Laden and his family are all Saudi, and that is where the Taliban came from. They "recruited" (by whatever means) Pakistanis and Afghans to their cause. Please dont make me explain all this, I know we can think here.

 

[Subzeero]

just one note, the taliban were pakistani

hey pigeon-rate, every night, a couple of pigeons come to my balcony. They sleep there and leave in the morning. Since I live alone, i really like them being there. lol, I may sound like a looser but they are a real cute couple. But alas, i think there is a tragedy behind them. When i just came to see this apartment, i noticed a nest in the corner. The super must have cleaned it off before i moved in. So i think they miss their little babies. I like them a lot. They take the liberty of taking a shit sometimes but i clean it every once or twice a month. Its really not that bad. And there is this dude a freind of mine, he has pigeons has pets. Well the guy feeds them steriods or somthing that is made for pigeons. I swear they are huge. They have awesome hair and colours you might have never seen pigoens in. Like red. And so u know Kazuya from tekken. Their hair goes like that. All the other pigeons on the street want to mate with them real bad. lol. no kidding. This dude have to keep em in a cage most of the time, and the ladies are always waiting in hundreds outside. Or the men, whatever the case maybe. I can't tell a male from a female. I like to think of them as males. They are usually on top. lol. ok enough pigeon talk. And oh yah, i used to try and catch them when i was a kid. My mom made me eat a couple too. They are all bones really. she fried them BTW. LMAO. just kidding. ciao.