Sport

Shabtabnews – In an open letter to Josep Borrell Fontelles , IOPHR asks the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission to put pressure on the Iranian regime to stop the execution of Navid Afkari. The letter draws the attention of Mr Fontelles to the fact ” Navid Afkari …

VOA – An Iranian wrestler at risk of imminent execution for a murder confession that he said was made under torture has told relatives that he and his two jailed brothers were beaten by prison guards in recent days and denied medical care for their wounds, according to a knowledgeable source. In a Tuesday interview with VOA Persian, the source, …

NYT – An Iranian wrestler accused of murder after taking part in anti-government protests two years ago may be executed soon, international sports groups fear as they intensify a last-ditch campaign for clemency. “We really are at one minute to midnight,” Brendan Schwab, executive director of the World Players Association, which represents 85,000 professional athletes, said Tuesday. The charges against …

RFL/RE – Iran has broadcast the purported confession of a wrestler whose execution sentence has been condemned by rights groups and criticized by U.S. President Donald Trump. State television on September 6 broadcast video of Navid Afkari saying he stabbed a man, and showed confessions purportedly written by the 27-year-old wrestler. However, in a recording circulating on social media, Afkari …

Shabtabnews – In a statment today “IOPHR condemned the Iranian regime’s human rights violations and for not giving a fair and just trial for 27 year old Navid Afkari and to use torture to force him to confess to crimes he has not committed.” In the statement IOPHR stated that “Navid Afkari, a 27 year old Iranian wrestler, is in …

Radiofarda – The lawyer of Navid Afkari, a 27-year-old man who received two death sentences for allegedly killing a security agent during the 2018 protests in Isfahan, says the footage that the court is using against the defendant was filmed “an hour before the incident.” Navid was originally arrested alongside his two brothers Vahid and Habib in August 2018, and …

Radiofarda – FIFA, the international governing body of soccer, has demanded an explanation for Iranian judicial authorities’ prosecution of the country’s football federation board. The Iranian Football Federation is facing a potential suspension for the country’s potential legal actions against the federation’s board of directors, as well as numerous financial issues, deceptions in translating its charter into English and banning …

Radiofarda – A former coach of Iran’s national soccer team has come under fire for criticizing the Iranian regime’s policy of not recognizing Israel and wishing its annihilation. In a recent online program, Mohammad Mayeli-Kohan said Iran must recognize all members of the United Nations if it accepts the authority of the international organization, and cannot wish the annihilation of …

theguardian.com – The 25-year-old is forging a growing reputation in France and dreams of Olympic gold but laments her exile from Iran, where the idea of a woman boxing is frowned upon  Sadaf Khadem: ‘I confounded the rules of my country. I wasn’t wearing a hijab, I was coached by a man – some people take a dim view of …

Radiofarda – Iran’s “ancient sport” — or “varzesh bastani” — a traditional form of athletics that combines elements of Islam and ancient Persian beliefs, has long been a male-only domain. But not so much anymore. In recent years, an increasing number of women have taken on the discipline. The sport is also referred to as “varzesh pahlavani,” meaning the sport …