US-Iran 'Wrestling Diplomacy' in Limbo: Roundup

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, August 29, 2002

US-Iran 'Wrestling Diplomacy' in Limbo: Roundup

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US-Iranian "wrestling diplomacy" has been bogged down in non-sport related factors following US sports officials' decision to quit the upcoming world freestyle wrestling championship in Iran, citing unguaranteed safety to US athletes in a dicey piece of land.

After weighing the positives and negatives, the US wrestling team cancelled its trip to Iran and asked the wrestling's world governing body (FILA) to change the venue from Tehran to another location where US wrestlers would not have to risk their lives.

The US team's withdrawal marks the abortion of the four-year-old "wrestling diplomacy," initiated by US wrestling team's landmark trip to Tehran in 1998 when American flag was raised in respect for the first time since the two countries broke off diplomatic ties in 1980.

After he came to power in 1997, Iranian President Mohammad Khatami, a moderate cleric, promoted sporting, cultural and tourist links with the United States to "crack the wall of mistrust" between the two countries.

In 1998, the United States under the Bill Clinton administration sent a wrestling team to Iran eyeing rapprochement with the Iranian government.

Several US sports delegations, including the US women's basketball team, came to Iran in the ensuing years following the precedent set by the US wrestling team, and Iranian athletes have also competed in the United States during the period.

US officials hoped that the interaction would eventually lead to political dialogue between the two countries and the wrestling team could pursue a version of the "ping-pong diplomacy" Washington conducted with Beijing in 1970s, where a simple sporting clash nudged the two powers towards dialogue at the height of the Cold War.

However, the climate now looks like no longer ideal as stereotypes and animosity took the stage again though Iranian Foreign Ministry stressed on Monday that its policy of cooperation with US non-governmental bodies is still in practice.

An official with Iranian Wrestling Federation who asked not to be identified told Xinhua on Wednesday that "wrestling is wrestling" and the federation invites the US team as usual.

Iran and the United States have been at daggers drawn since 1979following the seizure of the US embassy in Tehran by revolutionary students, who took 52 Americans hostage for 444 days.

While wrestling is viewed as the most appropriate way to bring together the two enemies, politics overpowered sports.

Facing the red alert from the executive body, US national team coach Kevin Jackson said he was disappointed and heartbroken for the guys.

"To not have the opportunity to compete in the world championship that you train for your whole life, that's pretty devastating," he lamented.

The US bitter decision came at a time when US-Iranian relations dipped into a new low since earlier this year following US President George W. Bush's accusation of Iran of being part of the "axis of evil" in attempts to develop weapons of mass destruction.

Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei later responded by saying that it would be "treason and stupidity" to negotiate or talk with the US officials.

But recent two polls conducted by Iran's ministries of culture and information showed that 71-78 percent of those polled favor holding discussions with the United States, while 65-70 percent do not consider holding such talks to be humiliating.

Commenting on the US team's decision, The English-language Iran News said on Wednesday that the new hard-line US government does not share the view of its predecessors of promoting "citizens diplomacy."

The US withdrawal was a "complete surprise and shock to Iran's political and wrestling officials," the daily said, adding the request for a venue move is a "psychological warfare on Iran and an attempt to apply more pressure on Iran via any means possible."

Meanwhile, daily Kayhan International opined on Wednesday that Iran is "strongly opposed to the policies of the White House, but has never been inhospitable to any ordinary peace loving American citizen, including athletes, who very well know our hospitality."

While both US and Iranian wrestlers are regretting losing opportunities to face each other in the highest level of competition, political tide has turned against sports.

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