Request for Khamenei to Address the Issue of Confrontation with Israeli Athletes

A number of Iranian wrestling figures have written an open letter to the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic, asking him to intervene to resolve the issues arising from Iranian athletes' refusal to compete against Israeli athletes in international arenas. In their letter, they emphasized that they 'never' discuss the 'legitimacy or illegitimacy' of Israel, stating that 'definitely, the decision-making authority in this matter lies with other institutions.' The letter addressed to Ali Khamenei mentions that 'new conditions' have emerged in the global sports management landscape and that Israel's 'political relations' within the International Olympic Committee have gained 'power.' The signatories added that, for this reason, there is a 'threat of repeated sanctions' against Iran's national champions and coaches. The coaches and athletes who signed the letter requested the Supreme Leader to instruct the Supreme National Security Council to ask the country's diplomatic apparatus to support Iranian athletes in international arenas by 'forming diplomatic teams and engaging with the International Olympic Committee.' They urged these authorities to make every effort to resolve the issue of athlete, coach, wrestling, and sports sanctions against the country through 'negotiation and direct and indirect interactions and other diplomatic tools' if they do not confront Israeli wrestlers and athletes. This letter comes after Rasoul Khadem, the president of the Iranian Wrestling Federation and a champion in this sport, resigned in protest against what he called the 'policy of concealment' regarding Iran's refusal to face Israeli athletes. Khadem believed that methods such as fake injuries, vacating the competition field, and scripted losses are no longer viable and need to be reconsidered. The resigned president of the Wrestling Federation had called for the Supreme National Security Council to announce its official position on competing against Israeli athletes to the International Olympic Committee. In a statement, he accused the political officials of the Islamic Republic of 'indifference to the status of national champions' and lying, stating that the awards and honors that athletes achieve are 'a form of social entertainment for responsible officials.' Following Khadem's resignation, members of the technical council for freestyle and Greco-Roman wrestling also resigned from their positions. Maryam Monazami, the women's deputy of the federation, also resigned in support of Khadem. Subsequently, the head of the sports faction in the Islamic Consultative Assembly requested that the president, minister of sports, secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, and the Supreme Leader find solutions to the obstacles facing wrestlers. Mohammad Reza Tabesh described Khadem's resignation as 'astonishing' and stated, 'We should not allow the arena to become so constricted for a renowned champion that he sees resignation as the solution.' While global wrestling officials recently stated that if Iranian wrestlers continue to refuse to compete against Israeli athletes, severe consequences await Iranian wrestling, the head of the Basij Organization in Iran criticized Khadem without naming him. Gholamhossein Ghaibpour harshly criticized athletes, figures, and responsible officials in Iran who demanded clarity on the Islamic Republic's definitive policy regarding competition with Israeli athletes. Meanwhile, it is likely that in eight upcoming global competitions, Israeli wrestlers will face Iranian champions based on the draw. Iran and Israel have had a hostile relationship since the 1979 revolution, with officials of the Islamic Republic constantly speaking of the destruction of this country. Israel also considers Iran a threat to peace and stability in the region and the world. The Islamic Republic has prevented Iranian athletes from facing their Israeli counterparts since 1983, but there is no enacted law regarding this matter. In one of the latest refusals to confront athletes from the International Wrestling Federation, Alireza Karimi was suspended for six months due to a forced loss, and his coach received a two-year ban from international competitions. In support of Rasoul Khadem, the heads of wrestling federations across Iran 'resigned.' Khadem resigned from the presidency of the Wrestling Federation after his controversial statements, addressing responsible officials: 'Do not use national champions as a shield for yourselves.' A member of parliament stated: 'We should not easily agree to the resignations of wrestling officials.'