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The execution of Iranian wrestling star Saleh Mohammadi plunged the sports world into mourning on Thursday.
The Iranian regime executed the 19-year-old man on Thursday. Mohammadi was believed to have been killed in a public hanging, according to Iranian-American human rights activists and dissidents.
Iran International reported that the Iranian regime hanged Mohammadi and two other Iranian men, Mehdi Ghasemi and Saeed Davoudi, “after they were accused of killing two police officers during nationwide protests earlier this year,” the judiciary-linked Mizan news agency reported.
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Several Olympians shared their reactions to the execution with PK Press Club Digital.
Brandon Slay, Olympic gold medalist wrestler at Sydney 2000
Brandon Slay of the United States during the Men’s 76kg Greco-Roman Wrestling Semi-Final in the Exhibition Halls on day 14 of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. (Ross Kinnaird/Allsport)
“As someone who has traveled to Iran to wrestle twice and welcomed Iranian athletes to our country, I have seen first-hand the dignity and heart of the Iranian people. That’s why it’s so heartbreaking to see a terrorist regime execute a teenage wrestler,” Slay told PK Press Club Digital.
“My prayers go out to Saleh Mohammadi’s family and all those who are suffering. In the face of such oppression, I maintain hope in the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is the only light that triumphs over darkness and only the truth that proclaims justice and mercy will one day prevail.”
Tyler Clary, American swimmer who won gold at London 2012
American swimmer Tyler Clary celebrates his gold medal during the men’s 200m backstroke swimming final at the London 2012 Olympic Games, August 2, 2012, in London. (CHRISTOPHE SIMON/AFP)
“As an Olympic gold medalist, I have spent my life with athletes who represent the best of human discipline and freedom. What we are seeing in Iran – the execution of a wrestler after what appears to be a sham process – is a stark reminder of what this regime stands for. This is exactly why strong leadership is important,” Clary told PK Press Club Digital.
“President Trump has been clear-eyed about the nature of this regime and the need to stand up to it, and moments like this prove why this approach is necessary.”
Eli Bremer, American modern pentathlete in Beijing 2008
Eli Bremer of the United States celebrates the One Touch Epee of the Men’s Modern Pentathlon held at the Fencing Hall during the 13th day of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 21, 2008, in Beijing, China. (Nick Laham/Getty Images)
“I am beyond disgusted by the actions of the Iranian regime today. The murder of an iconic teenage athlete shows how deeply depraved Iran’s leaders are. President Trump has done and continues to do what it takes to ensure the destruction of this regime. A regime that is willing to murder a teenage athlete is a regime that would be willing to murder Americans if given the chance,” Bremmer told PK Press Club Digital.
“I will continue to support President Trump in his efforts to disarm Iran and ensure that the monsters who run the country are never again able to commit these atrocities against their citizens, Americans or our allies.”
Katie Uhlaender, American skeleton athlete, six-time Olympian
Katie Uhlaender of Team USA poses for a portrait during Team USA’s Beijing 2022 Olympics filming in Irvine, California, September 12, 2021. (Tom Pennington/Getty Images for Team USA)
“My heart breaks for this athlete and his family. What makes this situation even more devastating is that there have been clear and urgent calls for action,” Uhlaender told PK Press Club Digital.
“These athletes did nothing wrong. They represented their sport and their country, and instead of being protected, they were exposed to a system that failed to act when it mattered most…
“The United States is uniquely positioned to play a leadership role on this issue. Through sports diplomacy and international engagement, we have the ability to set a higher standard, one where athlete safety is non-negotiable, where warnings are heeded, and where governing bodies are held accountable for their failure to protect. Sport can serve as a symbol of integrity and unity. Action, not silence, must define our response to the future.”
STATE DEPARTMENT ASKS IRAN TO END EXECUTION OF 19-YEAR-OLD WRESTLING STAR
AJ Edelman, Israeli bobsleigh and skeleton athlete, two-time Olympian
Adam Edelman of Israel removes his helmet after a men’s skeleton training session during the Pyeongchang 2018 Olympic Winter Games at the Olympic Sliding Center on February 14, 2018. (OHD RASFAN/AFP via Getty Images)
“He was hanged for imagining an Iran free from the predations of a regime now led by a helpless baby Nepo whose father thought he was so incompetent he couldn’t run a lemonade stand. His sacrifice is proof that such a cause was just,” Edelman told PK Press Club Digital.
Sardar Pashaei, Iranian youth world champion wrestler (non-Olympian)
“This is just a glimpse of the brutality of the regime. A regime that kills its own people and now publicly executes a teenage athlete… For almost 50 years, some politicians have tried to moderate this regime. They still don’t understand it. We understand it. We lived under it. We carry its scars,” Pashaei told PK Press Club Digital.
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“Iranian sport is no longer in the hands of athletes. It is controlled by the Revolutionary Guards – the same forces that repress women, intimidate athletes abroad and threaten their families. Others are still in danger – and there is still time to save them. The world must act now. Saleh’s only “crime” was protest. He took to the streets for freedom – for a future where protest is not a crime, where executions do not exist and where people are not held hostage by their own government.
