It is probably a rarity to see the United States, Russia and Iran on the same page.
So it was a slightly incongruous sight this week when representatives of the three nations exchanged a stream of compliments against the backdrop of their three flags.
They are all fighting to keep wrestling as one of the 26 core sports in 2020 Olympic games — a host city is yet to be named for the event. To save the sport, the Olympic committee has stipulated that the world’s wrestling associations enact some changes, like making the rules easier to understand.
It is worth recalling that the United States has sent wrestling teams to Iran more than a dozen times and Iran has reciprocated.
In February this year, American Olympic gold medalist, Jordan Burroughs, said that he was mobbed in Tehran by screaming fans, when he went for the World Cup. Even President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad showed up to shake his hand. “They love me in Iran more than they love me here,” the American said. “I don’t know if Obama has ever showed up to a wrestling event,” he added.
An event where these three nations’ wrestlers are taking part is being arranged, in the US, to win over the hearts of Olympic committee. “Where I come from, wrestling is not just a sport, it is part of the culture and history,” said Rasul Khadem, a gold medalist for Iran in 1996 and now a coach.
“Saving wrestling in the Olympics is the wish and the desire of people who have lived with wrestling for hundreds of years.” The important lesson we learn from this is how sports can unite people of political diversities. While politics divide people, sports unite them! May we see many more of this in future! — S.H. Moulana, Riyadh
Quite sporting! A very strange alliance
