When I wrote about this before, I linked it to Islamic laws regarding the uncleanness of unbelievers. Some people pointed out to me that if that were true, Iran would never compete in contact sports with unbelievers. Maybe, but the fact is that all such laws have greater force when it comes to the Jews — again owing not to the contemporary political situation, but to the Qur’an’s oft-repeated disdain of the Jews and characterization of them as untrustworthy schemers who have incurred Allah’s wrath by daring even to alter the Scriptures he gave them, and sell the product.
From Reuters, with thanks to Teri:
ATHENS (Reuters) – Judo’s governing body failed to reach a decision on Monday about punishing Iran for its refusal to compete against Israel at the Athens Olympics.
Israel’s top judo official had said Iran should be penalized but Tehran remained defiant in the face of accusations that its political boycott was a challenge to Olympic ideals….
Before the meeting, Israeli judo chief Eddy Koaz said: “I think the IJF must stand and say that we cannot involve politics in sport and I think also they must punish them, because it is not the first time that they (Iran) have done this.
“We cannot let them just do it because if they do it and nothing happens, other countries will do it again.”
Tehran said it had no regrets.
“Our policy is not to recognize the Zionist regime in any international event … We cannot accept the presence of anyone in international events under the flag of that regime,” government spokesman Abdollah Ramazanzadeh told a news conference.
Ramazanzadeh described Miresmaeili’s action as voluntary but made clear it expected its competitors to avoid Israelis.
“We thank all our athletes who voluntarily follow our policy in international events and consider them our real national champions and heroes of peace,” he said.
Yes, heroes of peace.