Despite regional tensions, Russia's Israeli basketball coach shakes hands with Iranian team

Despite Iran's insistence that its representatives will have no contact with Israelis, David Blatt, the Israeli coach of Russia's Olympic basketball team met - and shook hands - with the coach and players of Iran's Olympic team before dawn Sunday (Israeli time).

The two teams played against each other in the first round of the men's basketball tournament in Beijing, with the Russians registering an easy win, 71:49.

However, the game's main attraction was the historic handshake between Blatt and the Iranian players.

Blatt referred to the handshake after the game, telling Israel's Sports Channel "That's the beauty of Olympic Games - they go beyond the issue of nationality."

Blatt added "Only here can an Israeli coach shake hands with the players and coach of the Iranian team."

It is still unclear whether the Iranian players knew the symbolic significance of their handshake with the Israeli coach, or whether they were unaware of Blatt's nationality.

In another charged encounter Saturday, an Iranian swimmer dropped out of a heat that included Israeli swimmer Tom Be'eri in it.

	Action from the Russia-Iran basketball game on Saturday. (AP)