Ahhh...the Olympic spirit. Shayne notes it isn't quite what it is cracked up to be. Thursday, when the draw for the judo competition was announced, Iranian competitor Miresmaeili told Iran's government-run press agency, "Although I have trained for months and was in good shape I refused to fight my Israeli opponent to sympathize with the suffering of the people of Palestine and I do not feel upset at all."
ATHENS, Greece – Arash Miresmaeili of Iran made his statement Sunday when he refused to compete in an opening-round Judo match here against Ehud Vaks of Israel due to what can only be called religious bigotry cloaked by international politics. Iran's Olympic delegation made its statement when it supported this hatred. And now the International Olympic Committee, backed by the civilized world, should make its statement loud and clear: Toss Iran out of the Athens Games.
Immediately.
Disqualify the entire Iranian delegation, send them home and hold them up to international scrutiny and ridicule. Anything less is to look away, to tacitly approve, to take the conciliatory path, to allow xenophobia, racism and religious persecution to thrive.
Anything less is to allow the Games to become a global stage for radical political statements.
Anything less is to spit in the eye of the Olympic ideal that the spirit of competition can bridge differences and bring people of all backgrounds together.
It is one thing if this were one man acting on his own. If Iran came out and condemned the closed-mindedness of its own athlete the issue would be over before it started. But Iran, which does not recognize Israel's existence and bans contact with the nation, is complicit.
The article ends with a compelling suggestion.
If Iran is so bothered by the presence of Israel, or Jewish athletes from other countries, in these Games then it should have boycotted the entire thing.
Read the whole thing.
Note: If you are going to post and masquerade as a moron racist right winger when you are a fascist Lefty...this is to notify you that in order to provide more iformation about you - I will be posting a list of your comments along with the name of the organisation you work for. If you don't like this harsh approach - simply don't comment. Even if you work in Rivonia for a Computer Company.
Racism on either side is not tolerated.
Posted by: Steve | August 17, 2004 at 07:18