February 26, 2021
An Iranian judoka who fled his country after being ordered to throw a match in 2019 to avoid facing an Israeli won a silver medal February 19 at an international tournament in Israel.
Saeid Mollaei, a 2018 judo world champion, fled Iran for Germany after saying Iranian authorities had put pressure on him to lose intentionally at the 2019 World Championships in Tokyo to avoid a potential final round match against Israeli contender Sagi Muki.
Muki and he then became fast friends and it was hoped they would face off for the first time at this competition in Israel. But Muki, also an international medalist, slipped up this time and did not get past the first round.
Mollaei made it to the gold medal round before losing.
After fleeing Iran, Mollaei became a citizen of Mongolia, which he represented at the International Judo Federation’s Tel Aviv Grand Slam.
“I compete for Mongolia. I don’t compete for Iran…. I play sports. I have always been an athlete, never political,” Mollaei told Israeli public broadcaster Kan.
Mollaei advanced to the contest finals in the 81-kilogram category after winning matches against contenders from Azer-baijan, Italy and Germany. Audience members at the contest cheered and applauded his victories.
In the two-stage final round, Mollaei won the silver medal after beating Russia’s Aslan Lap-pinagov but then losing to Uzbekistan’s Sharofiddin Bolta-boev, who took gold.
Speaking with reporters after the contest, with a silver medal around his neck, Mollaei told reporters, in English, “Israeli people [are] very friendly, and have a good heart.”
Iran, which has refused to recognize Israel since the revolution in 1979, was banned indefinitely from international judo competition after the 2019 Mollaei incident.
Arash Mir-Ismaili, head of Iran’s judo federation, told the official IRNA news agency that Mollaei had “turned his back on the ideals of the regime and the country’s goals,… which is shameful.”
Muki posted a photo on Twitter of him and Mollaei smiling together, captioned with the words, “Welcome brother,” and the Israeli, Iranian and Mongolian flags.
Some 421 competitors from 60 countries competed in the Tel Aviv Grand Slam, organizers said. Competitors arriving from foreign countries were given special exemptions from a travel ban imposed by Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic.