A report headlined “Iran banned after ordering Saeid Mollaei to withdraw from World Judo Championships” which appeared on the BBC Sport website’s Judo page on September 18th informed readers that:
“Iran has been banned by the International Judo Federation after it ordered Saeid Mollaei to pull out of the World Championships in Japan. […]
The case was referred to the IJF Disciplinary Commission, who said there was a “strong reason to believe that the Iran Judo Federation will continue or repeatedly engage in misconduct or commit any other offence against the legitimate interests, principles or objectives of the IJF”.”
The BBC did not clarify that the ban it reported in that article was provisional pending investigation by the International Judo Federation (IJF).
On October 22nd the IJF published the results of that investigation and the decision of its disciplinary commission.
“To pronounce against the Iran Judo Federation a suspension from all competitions, administrative and social activities organized or authorized by the IJF and its Unions, until the Iran Judo Federation gives strong guarantees and prove that they will respect the IJF Statutes and accept that their athletes fight against Israeli athletes”
The Iran Judo Federation – which in the meantime has claimed that the allegations were false – has 21 days in which to appeal the indefinite ban, during which the previous provisional suspension remains in force.
BBC audiences have to date not seen any coverage of this latest development.
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