Aug 29 2022

The Iranian Greco-Roman wrestling champion Mohammad Ali Geraei praised Adolf Hitler as an inspirational leader.

The Iranian-Norwegian journalist Mina Bai on Sunday tweeted that “Iran’s world champion in Greco Roman wrestling Mohammad Geraei in an interview with a sports outlet in Iran has named Zlatan, Mohammad Ali and Hitler as his inspirations! Iranian Gov. has made Jew hate so normal that there is no limit to how far one can go!”

The London-based Iran International news organization first reported on Al Geraei’s pro-Hitler comment and asked: “But the question is, what is the education system like in Iran, when Adolf Hitler, as one of the biggest criminals in history and the initiator of World War II, becomes a legend of a national hero?”

The Twitter feed for Iran International’s sports section showed a picture of Al Geraei next to Adolf Hitler.

The former head of Iran’s Greco-Roman wrestling team, Sardar Pashaei, who is now an American citizen, told The Jerusalem Post “As someone who has coached Iran’s national team for many years and attended the national team’s camps, I must say that it is very sad for me when I see how our athletes have become puppets of the government and have to learn the lesson of hatred instead of friendship. ”
Israel’s Persian language Twitter account tweeted: “The problem is the Ayatollahs’ antisemitic government that presents the biggest criminal of the history as a hero. Like Hitler, the Ayatollahs sacrifice the Iranian people for their goals.”

Pashaei, who oversees the campaign United for Navid, which aims to remember the murdered Iranian wrestler Navid Afkari, added “Ali Geraei’swords are like rubbing salt on the wounds of millions of people whose families were victims of hatred. Of course, it is not surprising to me if Iranian athletes praise Qassem Soleimani or other criminals like Hitler. Because they are systematically brainwashed in the camps of the national sports team. In those camps, young athletes undergo religious training and are forced to participate in government ceremonies.”

“As someone who has coached Iran’s national team for many years and attended the national team’s camps, I must say that it is very sad for me when I see how our athletes have become puppets of the government and have to learn the lesson of hatred instead of friendship. ”
Sardar Pashaei, former head of Irans Greco-Roman wrestling team

The former Greco-Roman coach said “We reported this issue to international sports organizations. We previously warned the security organizations of countries, including the United States, about the presence of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps officials as well as athletes who are staunch supporters of the Iranian regime, and for this reason, we prevented their presence in the United States in several cases. The International Olympic Committee should end appeasement with Iran, and ban the presence of officials and athletes who are part of the Iranian government’s repression and hatred apparatus. We will soon send a letter to the World Wrestling Federation and demand the suspension of Ali Geraei’ for his antisemitic comments.”

Who is Mohammad Ali Geraei?

The 28-year-old Ali Geraei was born in Shiraz in 1994 and the spelling of his name is also noted as Mohammadali Abdolhamid Geraei.

The star wrestler won a bronze medal at the 2021 world championship and a gold medal at the 2018 Asian games in Greco-Roman wrestling. Greco-Roman wrestling is restricted to upper body grappling and does permit leg attacks.

The praise of Hitler by a decorated Iranian wrestler is not the first scandal to rock the world of Iranian wrestling. In February, the Jerusalem Post reported that the US banned the head of Iran’s national wrestling federation, Alireza Dabir, who called for “Death to America” with violence, from entering America for a slated dual meet between the US and Iranian national wrestling teams on February, 12 in Arlington, Texas.

Dabir is also a fan of the late US-designated Qasem Soleimani, who was the commander of Iran’s Quds Force.

Source » jpost