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Saeid Mollaei

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Saeid Mollaei
Saeid Mollaei (Persian: سعید ملایی‎; born 5 January 1992) is an Iranian-born Mongolian judoka Olympian and 2018 world champion. Iranian authorities ordered Mollaei to intentionally lose in the semi-final at the Tokyo 2019 World Championships, so as to avoid a potential match in the finals against Israeli 2019 world champion Sagi Muki. In reaction, saying he was afraid to return to Iran after exposing and criticizing its pressure on him to deliberately lose in the World Championships, in August 2019 he moved to Europe with a two-year visa from Germany, and in December 2019 he became a citizen of Mongolia.
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Born
1992-01-05
Birth Place
Tehran
Height
1.75
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BBC

Saeid Mollaei: Iran's indefinite judo suspension lifted

Iran's indefinite suspension by the International Judo Federation - for ordering defending champion Saeid Mollaei to pull out of the 2019 World Championships - has been lifted. Mollaei ignored calls to withdraw from a match to avoid the prospect of facing Israel's Sagi Muki later in the event. Iranian athletes...
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Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei competes in Israel

An Iranian judoka who refused to return to Iran after reportedly being ordered to throw a match to avoid facing off with an Israeli is competing in Israel. Saeid Mollaei has said he fears for his life if he goes back home following the episode in the 2019 Judo World Championships in Japan.
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