Arash Miresmaeili
Iranian judoka
Arash Miresmaeili (Persian: آرش میراسماعیلی, born 3 March 1981) is an Iranian judoka and the President of Islamic Republic of Iran Judo Federation since March 2019.
World Judo Championships
He won the gold medal in two World Judo Championships, the first one in 2001 in Munich, Germany, and the second in 2003 in Osaka, Japan. He also won bronze medal in the 2005 World Judo Championships in Cairo, Egypt and 2007 World Judo Championships in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Athens Olympic Games; controversy
Arash Miresmaili was the favorite for the gold medal in the 2004 Summer Olympics, where he was the flag bearer for Iran at the opening ceremony.
Slated to fight Israeli judoka competitor Ehud Vaks in the first round, Miresmaili was disqualified from competing because he was above the permissible weight limit for his class. He was more than two kilos - four pounds - over the 66-kilogram weight limit. It was claimed that Miresmaili deliberately set out to be disqualified, rather than compete against an Israeli, which was understood from Miresmaili's comments: "Although I have trained for months and was in good shape I refused to fight my Israeli opponent to sympathize with the suffering of the people of Palestine and I do not feel upset at all."
Judo officials questioned how such an experienced two-time world champion competitor could have made such a basic error.
There was precedent for Miresmaeili's actions in the sport of judo. At the 2001 World Judo Championships, Iranian Mahed Malekmohammdi refused to face Israeli judoka Yoel Razvozov. Similarly, Iranian judoka Masoud Haji Akhoundzade pulled out of a bout against Israeli lightweight Zvi Shafran.
The public source identifies “Arash Miresmaeili” as iranian judoka. This brief keeps that definition visible, then builds a research path around Arash, Miresmaeili and Iranian.
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