A member of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) won the country’s first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Saturday, drawing mixed reactions from Iranians. A group of Iranian activists and athletes dubbed his victory a “catastrophe” on Sunday.
On Saturday, Iran’s first gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics was won by Javad Foroughi, 41, in the men’s 10-meter air pistol competition. With a Games record total of 244.8 in the final, Foroughi won gold — Iran’s first ever shooting medal.
United For Navid, a group of Iranian activists and athletes led by US-based Iranian journalist and activist Masih Alinejad, said in a statement on Sunday Foroughi’s win was “not only a catastrophe for Iranian sports but also for the international community, and especially the reputation of International Olympic Committee (IOC).”
Navid Afkari, an Iranian champion wrestler who was executed by the Islamic Republic in 2020, inspired the creation of the organization.The death of Afkari was widely condemned, with the US And the EU among those who spoke out against it.
Iran accused Afkari of killing a security guard during anti-government protests in 2018 – a charge the executed wrestler and his family rejected. They maintained he was tortured into making false confessions.
Foroughi “is a current and longtime member of a terrorist organization,” the statement said, referring to the IRGC, which was designated by the US as a foreign terrorist organisation in 2019.
United For Navid stated that the IRGC “has a history of violence and killing not only Iranian people and demonstrators there, but also innocent people in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon.”
Foroughi is a nurse at the IRGC-owned Baghiyyatollah hospital in Tehran who practiced shooting in the hospital basement, according to Iranian media.
Foroughi dedicated his medal to one of the 12 Shia Imams and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei.
After his win, Foroughi told the semi-official Tasnim news agency, “I dedicate my medal to Imam Mahdi and my [supreme] leader.”
Foroughi stated he was sent to Syria in 2012-2013 as part of the IRGC’s medical team and stayed for two years.
United For Navid said it had written to the IOC earlier this year, warning about “the possible presence of the military and even politicians serving as athletic representatives of Iran.”
“Officials of the IOC never took any action.”
United For Navid demanded an investigation by the IOC, as well as the suspension of any medal awards until the investigation is completed.
Downing Street struggling to explain why he tried to dismiss such concerns on Friday.
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