Netanyahu to Iranian Wrestler: The Bullies Who Forced You to Lose Will Lose Themselves

Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, sent a message to Iranian wrestler Alireza Karimi stating, "The bullies who forced you to lose will themselves lose." Netanyahu's message was published on his social media pages on Monday, December 4. This message was in response to Alireza Karimi's forced loss in the World Wrestling Championships under 23, which took place last week in Poland. In that match, Karimi was on the verge of defeating his Russian opponent in the 86 kg category when he heard his coach shouting from the sidelines, "You must lose, Alireza," forcing him to submit to the Russian wrestler, who was declared the winner after easily pinning him. The Iranian wrestling team's coach was concerned that if Karimi won against the Russian wrestler, he would then have to face Uri Kalashnikov, an Israeli-Russian wrestler who had just won another match. Despite this, Polish officials announced that Karimi and Kalashnikov would have to compete against each other, but the Iranian team suddenly declared their athlete 'injured' to prevent him from facing the Russian wrestler, who has been competing under the Israeli flag for some time. The incident of Alireza Karimi's forced loss has sparked significant controversy in Iran, and for the first time since 1983, when Iran's policy prevented matches between Iranian athletes and Israelis, there is a serious possibility that the intertwining of sports and government politics will be examined, at least by the United World Wrestling Federation. Recently, a ceremony was held in Iran to honor Alireza Karimi, where General Gholamhossein Gheybparvar, the commander of the Basij, called him a true champion and awarded him a medal of honor. Israel has long been familiar with the non-competition of Iranian athletes against its own, but for the first time, the Israeli Prime Minister has reacted to this incident. Netanyahu stated in a two-minute and 25-second video that Iran's enmity with Israel can be summarized in the case of Iranian wrestler Alireza. He expressed sympathy for Karimi, recalling his words that when his coach forced him to lose, "the world collapsed on him." Netanyahu added, "Imagine how much Alireza trained; he was dreaming of becoming a world champion; but the Iranian regime prefers that its athlete loses rather than face an Israeli." According to Netanyahu, this is the nature of a regime that wants to eliminate Israel, but he added, "Rest assured that we will not allow Israel to be destroyed, but the price of this enmity will be paid by the people of Iran." Netanyahu, while repeatedly mentioning Alireza's first name, suggested that he go and have a spirited match with an athlete of a different faith and skin color, shake hands with the competitor, go out and celebrate, and post the video on social media to show the Iranian regime that hating others never makes an athlete a champion but turns them into an untrusting loser. Netanyahu also stated, "Alireza, I want you to know that the tyrants who forced you to lose will themselves lose; a regime that kills the spirit of competition and initiative in its people will perish itself." Alireza Karimi has not yet responded to the Israeli Prime Minister's message, although it is expected that he will have to express a response relatively aligned with the policies of the ruling government in his country. The Israeli Prime Minister had also stated the day before in a message for the Saban Forum in Washington that when the regime in Iran is overthrown, Israel "will be the first country to resume past relations with Iran."