Iran has banned a weightlifter from sports for life and dissolved a sports committee after the athlete greeted an Israeli counterpart on a podium.

Mostafa Rajaei, a veteran weightlifter, finished second in his category in the 2023 World Master Weightlifting Championships in Poland and stood on a podium with an Iranian flag wrapped around him on Saturday.

On anther step of the podium stood Maksim Svirsky from Israel, who finished third.

The two athletes shook hands and took a picture together, which led to the Iran Weightlifting Federation banning Rajaei from all sports for life due to what it called an “unforgivable” transgression.

  • redtea
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    10 months ago

    I’d expect no less from a user of such a liberal instance.

      • redtea
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        10 months ago

        From one lib to another I thought that was high praise sorry

        • mayo_cider [he/him]@hexbear.net
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          10 months ago

          Sorry, I was on mobile using the Connect app and it doesn’t show the user’s instance, didn’t realise you are from the only other lib instance

          • redtea
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            10 months ago

            No worries. We’ve got to stand together during tough times like these.