According to “Varzesh3”, the defeat of Mohammad Hadi Saravi, captain of Iran's Greco-Roman wrestling team, in the semi-finals of the World Championships in Astana turned minutes later into a major controversy at matside, where Alireza Dabir, the president of the Wrestling Federation, reacted to the decisions made in the bout with a strong protest to the referees and the jury members.
Videos published of the incident show a group of people holding Dabir back as he shouts at the referees: 'I will not let you swallow the rights of Iran's boys.' Dabir stresses that he does not want anyone's rights to be violated, but he will not allow the rights of Iran's wrestlers to be trampled.
The federation president's protest escalated after Saravi lost 5-1 to Artur Sargsyan of Russia. Iran's coaching staff objected to several refereeing decisions, including the scenes involving the opponent stepping out of the mat and grabbing Saravi's singlet; protests that, upon review of the scenes, did not change the referees' decisions.
Alireza Dabir, who has world and Olympic championship titles to his name and is one of wrestling's well-known figures internationally, this time personally pursued Iran's protest at matside. The incident took place while he had previously also objected to some refereeing decisions.
According to the published images, Dabir was trying to convey Iran's sensitivity about the officiating to the organizers so that the final bouts would proceed with the fewest problems.
Some unofficial accounts from the competition venue suggest the argument between Dabir, the referees and the jury members escalated and the matter also reached the president of United World Wrestling; although the full details of this story have not been independently confirmed.
Dabir's sensitivity about officiating is also reminiscent of some incidents from his own championship days. At the 2001 World Championships in Bulgaria, in the final bout, while he was leading 2-1, he lost the result after a caution point was awarded in favor of the host opponent.
Now the president of Iran's Wrestling Federation, who once fought for world and Olympic medals himself, is trying from his managerial position to defend the rights of the national team members.
Source: Varzesh3
