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Iranian judoka who defected dedicates his silver medal to Israel
[IsraelTimes] Saeid Mollaei, a former Iranian judoka now representing Mongolia, dedicates his silver medal in the final of the men’s 81-kilogram division to Israel.“This medal is also dedicated to Israel and I hope the Israelis appreciate this achievement,” he says, according to Israel’s Kan broadcaster. It was the first Olympic medal for Mollaei, two years after he left his native Iran after revealing that his national team coaches had ordered him to lose in the semifinals of the 2019 world championships in Tokyo to avoid facing Israel’s Sagi Muki in the final. Mollaei subsequently moved to Germany and then acquired Mongolian citizenship. Another Times of Israel article adds this endearing note: Mollaei has since visited Israel and befriended Muki.Posted by: trailing wife 2021-07-28 |
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