Iran: Olympic karate athlete Sajad Ganjazadeh brings gold medal home

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Iranian Olympic karate athlete Sajad Ganjazadeh was received by a welcoming party at Imam Khomeini airport in Tehran on Wednesday.

The athlete returned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics with a gold medal following his victory against Saudi Arabia’s Tareg Hamedi on August 7.

Hamedi was disqualified from the men’s over-75kg final against Ganjazadeh after kicking the Iranian athlete in the neck, which referees classified as a rule breach.

The kick brought Ganjazadeh down onto the floor, causing the Iranian athlete to lose consciousness.

“When he fell and did not get up, we said that something must have happened to him. I had a bad feeling”, commented Shahram Heravi, head coach at Iran’s national karate team.

“But thank God, I went and saw that the doctors said that the danger had passed and told him that he had won the game and he was happy”, added Heravi.

Heravi also noted that he did not believe the kick was done ‘on purpose’.

Ganjzadeh was carried away from the fight on stretchers and following medical examination, was allowed to collect his medal at the podium alongside his Saudi.

SOUNDBITES:

SOT, Sajad Ganjzadeh, Iranian karate athlete (Farsi) : “The only thing I remember is that Mr. Sajadi was [standing] above me, I could hear the voice of Master Heravi. I asked what happened, he said I won the gold medal. I said thank God.”

SOT, Sajad Ganjzadeh, Iranian karate athlete (Farsi) : “All karate athletes deserved to be able to win medals there (at the Olympics), but well, it was my fate to attend the Olympics and I thank God that I was a good representative for the strong karate team.”

SOT, Shahram Heravi, Head coach at Iran’s national karate team (Farsi): “The first thing that mattered to us was his health. It did not make much difference to us whether the medal was gold or silver. Firstly, health was important to us after what happened. Sajad is an athlete who competes in any situation. When he fell and did not get up, we said that something must have happened to him. I had a bad feeling. But thank God, I went and saw that the doctors said that the danger had passed and told him that he had won the game and he was happy.”

SOT, Shahram Heravi, Head coach at Iran’s national karate team (Farsi): “The Saudi opponent did not do it on purpose. But unfortunately, the situation was going in a way such that Sajad would not win the game. It was clear at the beginning of the match. They gave three points for a blow that did not hit Sajad anywhere in the body. But it has long been said that God’s hand is above all hands. God did not let anything happen and this gold medal was the right of Sajad Ganjzadeh. God says that the harder one tries, the more one gets. Sajad’s fate was to get gold.”

SOT, Shahbaz Ganjzadeh, Father of Sajad Ganjzadeh (Farsi): “We were very upset when Sajad was hit. But thank God again. A few minutes later, when I called, I asked him how he was doing and he was a bit better. I was happy to call him on WhatsApp and see it for myself. Thank God that he gained a position and made the Iranian nation happy.”

SOT, Hamideh Karimzadeh, Mother of Sajad Ganjzadeh - (Farsi) : “Do not remind me of those moments. Remind me of his medal. But when I remember when he fell [on the ground], my heart is still pressing. We were very impatient. We congratulate the Iranian nation on this colorful medal of Sajad and [those of] other heroes.”

#SajadGanjzadeh #Iran #Tokyo2020

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