Iran’s Judo Ban, Sparked by Order to Avoid Israeli, Is Overturned

Saeid Mollaei said Iranian officials ordered him to withdraw from a judo competition rather than face an Israeli rival.Credit...Charly Triballeau/Agence France-Presse — Getty ImagesIran’s blanket suspension from world judo events for ordering one of its athletes to pull out of an event to avoid competing against an Israeli was overturned by the Court of Arbitration for Sport on Monday.

The court did not disagree that Iran had committed “severe violations” of International Judo Federation rules in the case, and it said the country deserved sanctions. But it decided the punishment that was imposed — banishment from all competitions until Iranian officials give “strong guarantees and proves…