Iran Bans Weightlifter For Life For Shaking Israeli Athlete’s Hand

Iran Bans Weightlifter For Life For Shaking Israeli Athlete’s Hand

Iran has banned Mostafa Rajaee, left, from sports for life after the weightlifter greeted Israeli counterpart Maksim Svirsky, right, on a podium.

An Iranian professional weightlifter has been banned for life from competing in sports after shaking hands with an Israeli athlete during an international competition.

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Mostafa Rajaee, a weightlifting champion, was filmed shaking hands and posing for a picture with Israel’s Maksim Svirsky at the World Master Weightlifting Championships in Poland.

Veteran weightlifter Rajaee, finished second in his category in the 2023 World Master Weightlifting Championships in Poland, is seen shaking hands with Maksim Svirsky from Israel, who finished third. Polmasters/YouTube

This action led to his lifetime ban, with the head of Iran’s weightlifting federation describing his actions as “unacceptable and unforgivable.”

Iran does not recognize Israel as a country and has a history of prohibiting its athletes from competing against Israelis in international events.

Similar bans have been imposed on Iranian athletes in other sports, such as judo and chess, for refusing to compete against Israelis.