Leader censures double-standard policies in Olympics

TEHRAN, Sep. 17 (MNA) – In a meeting with Iranian Olympic athletes, the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei censured the double-standard policies during the Olympic and Paralympic games.

The members of Iran's Olympic and Paralympic athletes attended a meeting with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei in Imam Khomeini (RA) Hosseinia on Tuesday morning.

In this meeting, Ayatollah Khamenei sincerely thanked the medalists, athletes, coaches, and those involved in the convoys sent to the Paris Olympics and Paralympics, and emphasized the importance of taking a serious look at sports.

“One thing which was strongly noticeable this year at the Olympic Games was the dual policies of the countries regulating international sports matters. They really showed that double standards and biased policies govern their behaviors,” the Leader pointed out.

Ayatollah Khamenei added that certain countries banned a country because it had waged a war against another country, but they “refused to ban the Zionist regime from the Games despite the fact that it has killed thousands of children and massacred over 41,000 people in nearly a year,” lambasting such double standards as heavily biased.

“This is what we have long been saying. Some people tend to refer to our words as exaggeration. It is no exaggeration. They assert that sports should not be politicized. This is while they take and exhibit the most politicized actions in the field of sports,” the Leader noted.

The Leader also criticized the double standards of some countries on international sports issues, saying that they were noticeable in the recent games.

Iranian athletes have secured twelve medals, ranking 21st at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris, France.

Also, Iranian para-athletes shone in Paris Paralympics with a record haul of 26 medals.