That mysterious Iranian sports illness
Sports • August 2008 • Views: 390
In 2004, an Iranian judoka missed his match with an Israeli because he inexplicably “gained weight.” As a result, he managed to avoid IOC sanctions - and he got $125,000 from Iran’s president as if he had won the gold.
So perhaps it isn’t too surprising that the Iranian swimmer this year came down with a “stomach ache” a half hour before his race against an Israeli. These unexplained illnesses can be worth a lot of money; while losing to an Israeli brings only shame.