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HomeSPORTSOlympic Committee 'shocked' by Iranian wrestler's execution

Olympic Committee ‘shocked’ by Iranian wrestler’s execution

The International Olympic Committee said it was “shocked” by Saturday’s execution of a Iranian wrestler over the murder of a public sector worker during anti-government protests in 2018.

Navid Afkari was executed at a prison in the southern Iranian city of Shiraz, something the IOC said was “very sad news”.

“The IOC is shocked by this announcement today,” it added.


Navid Afkari was executed at a prison in Iranian city of Shiraz, something the IOC said was “very sad news”.

As per reports, his brother Vahid and Habib had also been sentenced to 54 and 27 years in prison. Navid Afkari, a popular figure in Iran in the field of wrestling, had taken active part in anti-government protests that kickstarted owing to ‘political repression’ and ‘economic hardships’.

“The IOC is shocked by this announcement today,” it added.

IOC president Thomas Bach said “direct personal appeals to the Supreme Leader and to the President of Iran this week and asked for mercy for Navid Afkari, while respecting the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran”.

“It is deeply upsetting that the pleas of athletes from around the world and all the behind-the-scenes work of the IOC, together with the NOC of Iran, United World Wrestling and the National Iranian Wrestling Federation, did not achieve our goal. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Navid Afkari”, it added.

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