Iran’s judo federation calls ban ‘unfair’

 Tehran, September 19 

Iran’s judo federation called its suspension from international competition “unfair” and said it “was a pre-planned scenario”, official news agency IRNA reported. 

“I believe that suspending Iran’s judo was a pre-planned scenario and unfortunately one of our athletes got involved and intensified” the problem, IRNA quoted the head of Iran’s judo federation Arash Miresmaeili as saying on Wednesday. 

The International Judo Federation (IJF) banned Iran for allegedly ordering a judoka to lose at a World Championships to avoid facing an Israeli competitor.  — AFP

FIFA boss hopes Iran will lift ban on women fans 

Zurich: FIFA president Gianni Infantino is raising hopes Iran will lift a ban on women entering soccer stadiums before a World Cup qualifying game next month. Attention on the ban intensified when a 29-year-old activist, Sahar Khodayari, died this month after setting herself on fire. She had been detained for dressing as a man to enter a soccer stadium. AP