Asi Maman 15/02/2021 11:16
Said Moulay with Moshe Ponti and his coach (Radad Jabara)
This is a historic moment that is hard to digest and believe has happened. An athlete of Iranian descent, who was forced to boycott Israelis following instructions he received from the government in his homeland, landed in Israel last night (Sunday) to compete in the Tel Aviv Grand Slam. It may sound like an imaginary story, but that’s exactly what he did Said Moulay.
As you may recall, Moulay competed in the World Championships in Tokyo, where he reached the world championships weighing up to 81 kg, while on the other hand, the Israeli Sagi Muki competed who was in great shape. After they both qualified for the semi-finals, Moulay received a message from the Iranian authorities that he was required to direct an injury or retire and not compete, in order to avoid an Israeli-Iranian encounter, a demand that was also accompanied by threats to his family. Mulai collapsed and burst into tears behind the scenes in a Tokyo auditorium, but did so.
He realized that the world title would be taken from him if he did not compete and for minutes on the mat he was debating whether to continue fighting for the title or lose on purpose. In the end, he lost and was banned from even standing on the podium along with Muki who won the gold medal. After the competition, Moulay was fed up. He fled to Germany, which granted him asylum and moved to represent Mongolia, while he was interviewed and even then hinted at his intentions to remove all possible borders when he said: “I dreamed of the world title but it is not my destiny. I was afraid of the consequences for me and my family. I lived in a country that does not allow me to compete with Israelis and I had to obey the law, but I want to compete with everyone and everywhere possible in the world. “
I will go alone
It has been a year and a half since Moulay lived alone in Germany, away from his family left in Iran. Maybe it was the loneliness that affected and maybe not, but over time the ice broke between him and Muki. Instagram messages, many conversations including even with an interpreter, and one clear statement on the part of the Iranian towards the members of the team who have become his friends: “I want to come and visit Israel.”
For many weeks, Moulay and his coach Muhammad Mansuri, who defected to Europe together, sent messages to members of the Israeli judo team and to the union’s chairman, Moshe Ponti. The two announced that they had purchased flight tickets to Israel and intended to arrive at a training camp with the Israeli team before the competition, but the skies were closed by government order due to mutations in the corona virus and Ponty asked them to wait until a solution was found. Finally, the union hired two planes to bring the competitors from two different destinations in Europe and Moulay boarded such a flight from Istanbul last night along with another 158 people.
On his way to Israel, Moulay was already whole with the decision but still very excited. Those who were with him on the plane knew that this was a special moment for the Iranian judoka, one who would shatter conventions and put politics aside. When an Iranian comes to visit Tel Aviv, it is not obvious, certainly at a time like this, when Iran threatens to continue its nuclear project and threatens to destroy Israel, which has created great tension between the two countries.
The Iranian judoka’s move was approved by Marius Wieser, chairman of the World Judo Association, who helped Moulay find refuge in Germany and deal with the Iranian regime’s threats, which continue unabated even now when his family is left behind. Wieser is of course aware of the danger involved in such a visit. Iran does not like opponents and in recent months even the athlete Nabid Afkari has been executed for participating in a protest against the ayatollahs’ regime and being accused of murdering a security man. Ponti responded then and said that he feared for the life of Said Moulay following the incident, but now it seems that he himself has stopped being afraid.
About two weeks ago, Said was photographed wearing a T-shirt that read “Judo for Peace” and wrote in a post on his Instagram account in the Persian language: “I live my life and I do not care how I am judged, for better or worse. I have already forgotten what is defined as important or unimportant. The Saturday newspaper is Sunday rubbish, so I live my life my way and by my own rules. My faith and heart help me fight. ”
The steps taken by Mulai are historic and meanwhile the Iranian government is waiting quietly, presumably because there is a legal process going on in parallel. As you may recall, because Moulay was forced not to compete with Muki and was put under great pressure from the government in his country during the World Championships, the International Judo Federation decided to suspend the Iranian Federation from any international activity because such a provision is against the spirit of the sport. Iran was furious at the sentence, demanding that Moulay return to his homeland and acted against the decision with an appeal filed with CAS, the International Court of Arbitration for Sport.
there’s no way back
In September, Said Moulay appeared in a Swiss court and testified against his homeland. The CAS still tried to send the parties to mediation, and after it failed, the Iranians learned that the decision would be made in October, that is, within about a month. But the decision in the case has been postponed and postponed – and recently the Iranian union announced that they had been informed that the decision would only be made on February 26, that is, after the Tel Aviv Grand Slam.
“We were told that the judges need to look into the matter even more in depth,” said the chairman of the Iranian Judo Association, Arash Mirsmaili, who himself has boycotted Israelis in the past. It is very possible that Moulay’s visit to Israel may make the judges at the CAS realize that there is now no going back for Moulay and many athletes like him who abandoned Iran one after another. Athletes who have made a decision to leave their homes to compete without fear in front of any other athlete, regardless of their background. Athletes who may also cross the borders and come to visit Israel.
Mulai was very excited about his arrival in Israel. In recent months, he has discovered how warm Israelis are, and apparently even hugged Moshe Ponti as soon as the two met at Ben Gurion Airport in front of the cameras, despite the corona’s limitations and social distance. “You will see, everyone here loves you,” Ponti told Judai, who admitted that he felt safe on Israeli soil.
The two got into a special vehicle that was waiting for him and drove him and his coach Muhammad Mansour to the hotel, where dozens of photographers were waiting for him. Moulay, who was holding only one bag with which he came to the competition, looked a little frightened and exhausted at those moments. It was already after midnight and he feels as if he has already finished fighting the Iranian regime. And behold, a new day is coming upon Tel Aviv. And there is competition. And Said came to win.
