Israeli judoka Sagi Muki loses match against friend, Iranian defector Saeid Mollaei He said in an Instagram post that even though he didn’t win, it was a “victory of sport over politics.” July 12, 2022
Israeli athlete makes history with country’s first Olympic gold in gymnastics Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett interrupted the weekly Cabinet meeting to congratulate Artem Dolgopyat for winning the country’s second-ever Olympic gold medal. Aug. 1, 2021
Iran denounces dissident judoka for competing in Israel “I apologize to the families of the martyrs and the Iranian people ... and am ashamed that a foolish athlete who only considers his personal interests traveled to Tel Aviv,” says the head of the Iranian Judo Association about Saeid Mollaei, now a Mongolian citizen. Feb. 17, 2021
Exiled Iranian judoka arrives in Israel to compete in Tel Aviv Grand Slam Saeid Mollaei, who was forced to throw a match at the 2019 World Judo Championships to avoid a bout with Israeli counterpart Sagi Muki, is now competing on behalf of Mongolia. Feb. 16, 2021
Israeli Olympian shares training regimen, raises money for coronavirus relief Israeli judoka Sagi Muki has auctioned belts, badges and a uniform from his 2019 world-championship win in Tokyo, raising more than $40,000 so far to purchase ventilators for hospitals in his hometown of Netanya. April 20, 2020
Iranian judoka granted refugee status by Germany Saeid Mollaei criticized the Iranian government for demanding that he not face Israeli judoka Sagi Muki at the World Judo Championships. Nov. 4, 2019
International Judo Federation gives Iran the chop Global athletic organization bans Iran from future competitions over its repeated unsportsmanlike conduct in forbidding its judokas from competing against Israelis. Sept. 19, 2019
Israel’s Sagi Muki wins Judo World Championship in Tokyo Israeli judoka bests Belgium’s Matthias Casse to become Israel’s first male world champion • Egyptian judoka avoids shaking hands after losing quarter-final bout. Aug. 29, 2019
Iran ends its sports boycott against Israeli judokas The International Judo Federation reportedly threatened to ban Iran from international competitions if the country continued to pull stunts to avoid its athletes having to face off against Israelis. May 12, 2019
