Weightlifting under fire from angry Iranians: 1.6 million times

Reuters

By Brian Oliver

Angry Iranian sports fans have deluged the International Weightlifting Federation with more than 1.6 million online comments, many of them abusive, after the country’s biggest star failed to win a medal in Rio.

The IWF website was hacked Aug. 17 and has been underattack since then. Some news items have disappeared, including a report of the men’s super-heavyweight contest at +105kg. In that final weightlifting event of Rio 2016, riot police were put on standby about 50 meters away from the stage after furious Iranian coaches illegally entered the field of play area to question a decision by the jury. The Iranian favorite, Behdad Salimikordasiabi, broke a world record in the first part of the competition, the snatch. Salimi, as he is known, then failed to register a lift in the clean and jerk. His first attempt was a fail and his second, after being cleared by judges, was overruled unanimously by the jury of five who decided Salimi’s left arm was not completely straight.

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