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ISRAEL AT WAR - DAY 533

Saeid Mollaei

Israeli judoka Sagi Muki embraces champion Saeid Mollaei after their match, at the 2022 Judo Grand Slam in Budapest, July 9, 2022. Mollaei is now representing Azerbaijan. (Video screenshot)
July 9, 2022, 5:07 pm
Israeli judoka Muki loses to Iranian defector and friend Mollaei in 1st-ever matchup
Former Iran champion, now representing Azerbaijan, fled after being forced by officials to avoid facing his now ‘friend for life’ in 2019
By ToI Staff
Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei reacts after losing to Belgium's Matthias Casse in the semifinal fight in the men's under-81 kilogram category during the 2019 Judo World Championships in Tokyo, on August 28, 2019. (Charly Triballeau/AFP)
November 23, 2021, 8:34 pm
Iran appeals ban from world judo events for avoiding Israeli opponents
Iranian judokas barred from international competition until 2023 after Saeid Mollaei fled country in 2019 over orders to lose matches to avoid competing against Israelis
By AP
Algerian Judoka Fethi Nourine. (Screenshot)
September 14, 2021, 4:56 am
Algerian judoka banned for 10 years for refusing Olympic bout with Israeli
Fethi Nourine’s coach given same punishment by International Judo Federation after he withdrew from Tokyo Games on opening day to avoid facing Tohar Butbul
By AP and ToI Staff
Iranian defector Saeid Mollaei, competing under a Mongolian flag, reacts after losing to Takanori Nagase of Japan, unseen, during the men -81kg final of the judo match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
July 28, 2021, 2:12 pm
Daily Briefing July 28 – Pride and prejudice against Israel on Olympics judo mat
Catch an update on Team Israel in the Olympics with Amy Spiro while Palestinian affairs correspondent Aaron Boxerman introduces the five-member Palestinian delegation
By ToI Staff
Saeid Mollaei of Mongolia celebrates with his silver medal during the award ceremony for the men -81kg judo match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, Tuesday, July 27, 2021. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
July 27, 2021, 4:26 pm
Winning judo silver in Tokyo, Iranian defector Mollaei dedicates medal to Israel
Judoka says ‘todah’ to Israelis for support; Israeli Sagi Muki, who had disappointing finish, congratulates his unlikely friend: ‘I’m so happy… He deserves it’
By Amy Spiro and Agencies
Israel's Tohar Butbul gets ready to compete in the judo men's -73kg elimination round bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on July 26, 2021. (Jack GUEZ / AFP)
July 27, 2021, 1:27 pm
International Olympic Committee ‘concerned’ by forfeits to avoid Israeli judoka
IOC director of solidarity James Macleod says committee ‘will adopt a strict position’ on violations of the Olympic charter
By Amy Spiro
Anastasya Gorbenko (Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP) and Sagi Muki (Amit Shisel/Israel Olympic Committee)
July 27, 2021, 10:04 am
Tokyo disappointment for Israeli swimmer Anastasia Gorbenko, judoka Sagi Muki
Still, Gorbenko defied expectations to reach 100m final and broke record on her way there; Muki unexpectedly loses 2nd fight, ending medal dreams
By ToI Staff
Israel's Tohar Butbul competes in the judo men's -73kg quarterfinal bout during the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the Nippon Budokan in Tokyo on July 26, 2021. (Amit Shisel/Israel Olympic Committee)
July 26, 2021, 8:47 am
2nd judoka pulls out of Olympics in apparent move to avoid facing Israeli
Sudan’s Mohamed Abdalrasool skips bout with Tohar Butbul, who wins next fight but loses medal chances later; athlete is no-show despite Khartoum signing Abraham Accords with Israel
By ToI Staff and Agencies
Algerian Judoka Fethi Nourine. (Screenshot)
July 24, 2021, 11:50 am
Algerian suspended from world judo for refusal to face Israeli at Olympics
International judo federation withdraws Fethi Nourine’s accreditation after he pulls out of contest, says his actions are ‘in total opposition to our philosophy’
By AFP and ToI Staff
Screen capture from video of Israeli judoka Tohar Bulbul, left, during the finals in the men's under-73kg category at the European Judo Championships, April 17, 2021. (YouTube)
July 23, 2021, 12:39 am
Algerian judoka said to quit Olympics in order to not face Israeli opponent
Fethi Nourine pulls out of men’s under 73kg competition after being scheduled to face Tohar Butbul in second round; ‘We made the right decision,’ his coach says
By ToI Staff
Screen capture from video of Iranian dissident judoka Saeid Mollaei, in white, competing for Mongolia during a bout against Israeli Din Yaacov Gemer during the World Judo Championships in Hungary, June 8, 2021. (YouTube)
June 9, 2021, 6:58 pm
Exiled Iranian judoka finally faces Israeli competitor, and wins
Saeid Mollaei, who fled Iran in 2019 after refusing to throw matches to avoid Israelis, trounces Din Yaacov Gemer at World Judo Championships
By ToI Staff
Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei reacts after losing to Belgium's Matthias Casse in the semifinal fight in the men's under-81 kilogram category during the 2019 Judo World Championships in Tokyo, on August 28, 2019. (Charly Triballeau/AFP)
April 29, 2021, 11:06 pm
Iran hit with four-year judo ban for ordering athletes to avoid Israelis
Judo’s international governing body cites ‘repeated and severe breaches’ of its statutes, highlighted by the case of judoka Saeid Mollaei
By Agencies and ToI Staff
Samaneh Beyrami Baher carries the flag of Iran during the opening ceremony of the 2018 Winter Olympics in Pyeongchang, South Korea, February 9, 2018. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
April 20, 2021, 10:50 pm
Activists urge sanctions on Iran Olympic program for avoiding Israeli matchups
‘United for Navid’ campaign presents IOC with numerous examples of Iranian athletes throwing matches to avoid competing against Israelis
By AP
Judo champions Iranian Saeid Mollaei, left, and Israeli Sagi Muki will be featured in an MGM TV series about their friendship. (Courtesy PR)
March 2, 2021, 7:13 pm
Story of Israeli, Iranian judokas’ friendship on its way to TV
MGM and Israel’s Tadmor Entertainment developing scripted series about Sagi Muki, Said Mollaei
By Jessica Steinberg
Uzbekistan's Bekmurod Oltiboev, in white, competes against Iran's Javad Mahjoub during their men's +100 kg judo bronze medal match at the 18th Asian Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, August 31, 2018. (AP/Dita Alangkara)
March 1, 2021, 7:03 pm
Top sports court overturns Iran’s judo ban issued over refusal to face Israelis
Court of Arbitration for Sport says Iran ‘committed severe violations’ of discrimination rules but suspension too harsh; Iranian judo body hails ‘great legal and sporting victory’
By Agencies and ToI Staff
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