Shocking! Iran bans weightlifter for life over handshake with Israeli

 

An Iranian weightlifter has been banned by the Islamic Republic of Iran for shaking hands with an Israeli competitor at an event in Poland, as reported.

During a World Masters championship in Wieliczka, near Krakow, Poland, Mostafa Rajaei, a well-known Iranian weightlifter in his 40s, shook hands with Maksim Svirsky, an Israeli weightlifter, causing displeasure among Iranian authorities.

As per the IRNA report, the Iran Weightlifting Federation, the governing body for the sport in Iran, released a statement declaring, “Athlete Mostafa Rajaei is permanently banned from all sports facilities in the country, and the head of the delegation for the competition, Hamid Salehinia, is dismissed.”

Iran and Israel, being adversaries, have no direct sporting contact due to Iran’s non-recognition of Israel. This recent incident has escalated tensions further, with the IRNA report stating that Mostafa Rajaei had “crossed the red lines of the Islamic republic” by his actions on the championship podium in Wieliczka, where he had been “sent with the support of the federation.”