Iran says judo ban based on ‘false claims’

TEHRAN: Iran’s judo federation on Wednesday slammed a newly imposed ban on its fighters taking part in international competitions, saying it was based on “false claims”.

The International Judo Federation said Tuesday it had banned Iran indefinitely over the country’s refusal to allow its fighters to face Israeli opponents.

The IJF issued a provisional ban last month while probing allegations Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei had been ordered to lose a combat in order to avoid facing an Israeli at the World Championships in August.

The Iranian federation’s chief Arash Miresmaeili denounced the decision as a “cruel and a blatant betrayal”, the state news agency IRNA said.“The international federation shouldn’t have taken such a measure against judo in Iran merely based on a false claim by an athlete,” he was quoted as saying.