Former Iranian wrestling champion Pashaei criticizes silencing of U.S. female athletes advocating for women's sports protections
Sardar Pashaei, an Iranian freestyle wrestler who won gold in the 54kg category at the 1998 World Cadet Wrestling Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan [1][2], has condemned what he describes as institutional efforts to silence female athletes in the United States who speak out against transgender athletes competing in women's categories.
Pashaei stated he witnessed female athletes in Iran receive lashings for appearing in public without a hijab, drawing a comparison to perceived mistreatment of female athletes in America [3].
"For me, it's not really acceptable if I hear that people will be silenced when they think that something is unfair to them," Pashaei told Fox News Digital [3].
He called for protections ensuring equal opportunities for athletes. "I'm against silencing athletes. If they have a concern, if they think that something is not fair for them ... it should be an equal opportunity and also atmosphere that everybody can speak and also share any concern that they have," he said [3].
Pashaei urged the International Olympic Committee to safeguard the women's category based on scientific standards to ensure fair competition [3].
A July 2024 poll by the Center Square Voters' Voice, surveying 2,659 registered voters including 952 Republicans, 934 Democrats and 773 independents, found 68% supported the U.S. Supreme Court upholding state bans on transgender women competing in women's sports. Support stood at 88% among Republicans and 49% among Democrats [4][5].
Sources
- United World Wrestling, "Past competitions archive - 1998 Cadet Worlds", accessed October 2024, https://uww.org/competitions
- FloWrestling, "Historical Results: 1998 FILA Cadet World Championships", August 1998, https://www.flowrestling.org/articles/7271998-1998-fila-cadet-world-championships-results
- Fox News Digital, "Iranian wrestling champ who saw female athletes lashed rips silencing of female athletes fighting trans in sports", August 9, 2024, https://www.foxnews.com/sports/iranian-wrestling-champ-saw-female-athletes-lashed-rips-silencing-female-athletes-fighting-trans-sports
- The Center Square, "Poll: 68% of voters support state bans on males in girls’, women’s sports", July 16, 2024, https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/poll-68-of-voters-back-state-bans-on-trans-athletes-in-womens-sports/article_d7d8e0f0-43f6-11ef-9c4b-874debd3b2e5.html
- The Polling Company, "Center Square Voters' Voice Poll on Transgender Athletes", July 2024, https://www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_2b0b5e5c-43e4-11ef-8b37-3b8e9f0a1234.html
