August 6, 2026
After seven years: The Israeli and Iranian judokas met in Israel
צילום: שגיא מוקי
The Israeli judoka Sagi Muki met this week in Israel with the Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei.
The two were supposed to meet in the final of the 2019 Judo World Championship.
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But the regime in Iran told Mollaei to lose before the final, just so he wouldn't compete against an Israeli.
After the competition, Mollaei left Iran. Later, he began representing Mongolia in competitions.
Over the years, the two became friends. They met in several competitions around the world and showed great respect for each other.
This week, Mollaei arrived in Israel for the first time. He met with Muki, and the two stepped onto the judo mat together.
The two said they hope the regime in Iran will one day fall. They added that they hope the day will come when Sagi Muki can freely visit Tehran.
Mollaei said he is very happy to be in Israel.