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Last update - 08:52 11/08/2008
IOC: Iran swimmer who quit race with Israeli competitor broke no rules
By The Associated Press
Tags: Iran, Israel, Olympics 

The International Olympic Committee has accepted the explanation of an Iranian swimmer who pulled out of an event that included an Israeli competitor.

Mohammad Alirezaei withdrew from the heats of the men's 100-meter breaststroke on Saturday just before he was due to compete against a field that included Israel's Tom Beeri. He cited illness as the reason.

Iran could have faced sanctions from the IOC if Alirezaei pulled out
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eliberately because an Israeli was also racing, but IOC spokeswoman Giselle Davies said Monday that no violation had been found.

"The athlete has withdrawn because of sickness," she said. "He confirmed this in writing to the swimming federation. We've also spoken with the national Olympic committee and they have underlined to us that all their athletes compete here in the right spirit against athletes from any nationality."

"We take both the athlete and the national Olympic committee at their word on this," she said.

Iran does not recognize Israel and bans any contact with Israel.

At the 2004 Athens Olympics, an Iranian judo athlete did not compete against an Israeli opponent, and Iranian government officials were quoted in state media as congratulating him for doing so.

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      1.   The Pinnacle of Stone Age Thinking 10:10  |  Khaled - Lebanon 11/08/08
      2.   IOC on record as being wusse on anti-sportsmanship 10:10  |  Joe Sittizen 11/08/08
      3.   You have got to be kidding me! 10:23  |  Slibovitz 11/08/08
      4.   If the Iranian thought he had a chance against the Israeli... 11:37  |  JonathanInTelAviv 11/08/08
      5.   Where`s the fault? 12:40  |  Natallie Durson 11/08/08
      6.   Durson 12:54  |  Daniel W 11/08/08
      7.   NO PROBLEM, IN FACT, IT MAKES SENSE 13:04  |  indrajaya 11/08/08
      8.   Playing the eternal victim again 13:11  |  Labhras 11/08/08
      9.   JUST broke the Olympic spirit,directly against what the games 13:36  |  PETER SM 11/08/08
      10.   what a loser 13:47  |  Rani Habelgi 11/08/08
      11.   Hey Labhras, Israel isn`t `playing victim.` The Iranian swimmer 13:57  |  Steve Randolph 11/08/08
      12.   We dont swim together, so we agree 14:19  |  Mirror 11/08/08
      13.   Who is free from aparheid, throw the first stone 14:28  |  Paulus 11/08/08
      14.   Anything that happens 14:35  |  Chris Linthwaite 11/08/08
      15.   #8 Labhras "Playing the eternal victim again" 14:54  |  H 11/08/08
      16.   Mr Chris 15:00  |  Henry VIII 11/08/08
      17.   Hahh, hahh, hahh, hahh, Hahh, hahh, hahh, hahh, Hahh, hahh, hahh 15:26  |  Yeah right 11/08/08
      18.   LINTHWAITE"2004 Athens Olympics, an Iranian judo athlete did not- 15:27  |  PETER SM 11/08/08
      19.   Its amazing how many talkback before actually reading the article 15:41  |  Tarik 11/08/08
      20.   Chris the athlete illness is called primitive pride 15:50  |  JP 11/08/08
      21.   Tarik Dinosaur era 15:53  |  Stone aged 11/08/08
      22.   He is a no-brain idiot and it is HIS loss. 15:57  |  The Equalizer 11/08/08
      23.   THIS ONE smartened up after 2004 but did he bring an independent 16:01  |  PETER SM 11/08/08
      24.   THIS ONE smartened up after 2004 but did he bring an independent 16:01  |  PETER SM 11/08/08
      25.   "Judaism Beat Islam In The 100 Meter Breaststroke", Iran Fears 16:02  |  Lavi 11/08/08
      26.   Poor Iranian Swimmer Is a Victim of the Junta 16:13  |  No No Junta 11/08/08
      27.   Natalie is dillusional 17:16  |  Igor D. 11/08/08
      28.   wont be long... 17:34  |  ravi 11/08/08
      29.   It`s a mental sickness, but it`s a sickness 17:46  |  x-ray 11/08/08
      30.   #11, Steve Randolph... 17:47  |  Silvienne 11/08/08
      31.   To #27 Natalie drifted from reality PURPOSELY 18:05  |  3-kha-kha 11/08/08
      32.   HE MAY NOT HAVE BROKEN ANY RULES;BUT HE DEFEATED HIMSELF BEFORE 18:07  |  glenna 11/08/08
      33.   "Eternal victim"? Have you read the story? 18:33  |  casual observer 11/08/08
      34.   Completely agree with casual observer 18:51  |  Observer 2, Jew 11/08/08
      35.   #3 Slibovitz I fully agree 19:11  |  Paul Wood 11/08/08
      36.   silvienne # 30 19:18  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 11/08/08
      37.   Hate speech against Jews damages Palestinian cause 19:35  |  Non idiot 11/08/08
      38.   #36, TEACHER/INSTRUCT AKA "KATHY" 19:37  |  Silvienne 11/08/08
      39.   Labrhas, you live in a rogue state, and you Irish play the 19:55  |  Jewish American 11/08/08
      40.   durson champions the iranians 19:56  |  Connie 11/08/08
      41.   Labhras 20:01  |  Connie 11/08/08
      42.   # 37, NON-IDIOT 20:03  |  indrajaya 11/08/08
      43.   gee Ravi and Ithought India is one of Israel `s major 20:04  |  Jack be quick 11/08/08
      44.   He will also be sick tomorrow..... 20:25  |  Ilan 11/08/08
      45.   non idiot 20:34  |  Connie 11/08/08
      46.   #39 - JA, Labhras doesn`t live in Ireland 20:37  |  JP 11/08/08
      47.   So, dont worry, Indrajaya! 20:40  |  Non-idiot 11/08/08
      48.   Let Them Quit - Shows Them In a Bad Light 20:40  |  JP 11/08/08
      49.   #8 Lahbras, Don`t Hold Your Breath... 20:46  |  JP 11/08/08
      50.   Iran knows Israel takes part in Olympics, why even go there?! 20:54  |  Benjamina 11/08/08
      51.   indrajaya,the iranian couldn`t face the mullahs after being 20:57  |  terrornator 11/08/08
      52.   Good - iranins should resist any activity in presence of Israelis 21:50  |  17 11/08/08
      53.   Really too much hate speech against Jews 22:02  |  Sincere woman 11/08/08
      54.   Not surprising 22:09  |  American Attorney 11/08/08
      55.   JP if Labhras is an American then his opinion flies in the face 22:19  |  Jewish American 11/08/08
      56.   Olympics tolerated murder of Israelis, so of course this is fine 22:38  |  McQueen 11/08/08
      57.   #19 evidently you`ve never heard of the concept of lying 22:40  |  McQueen 11/08/08
      58.   This reminded me of Mary Lou Retton 23:14  |  David Israel 11/08/08
      59.   I Can Understand Why He Became Sick 00:41  |  Shepherd 12/08/08
      60.   From the people who brought you the games - as Jews died. 01:57  |  DocD 12/08/08
      61.   Fair Play, Khamanei-Style: Invoke Sickness... 03:25  |  Fortuna Benmayor 12/08/08
      62.   He should have been examined by an Olympic Doctor!. 04:36  |  Shlomo 12/08/08
      63.   Mary Lou Retton 04:41  |  Bob 12/08/08
      64.   (IOC) International Oral Corruptions 07:24  |  The Archives 12/08/08
      65.   Iranian swimmer 07:50  |  Norman 12/08/08
      66.   # 40 41 Connie 14:31  |  THE TEACHER/INSTRUCT 12/08/08
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