Religious Discrimination in Iranian Sports

Khashayar Zarei is a sixteen year old Iranian Baha’i. He is the judo champion of the Iranian youth and the national schools champion but he cannot be a member of the national team. Last year he was picked to represent Iran in the Asian youth judo tournament in Yemen but the Iranian Judo Federation declared that Zarei could not be a member of the national team because he was a Baha’i. This was later confirmed by the national coaching staff, the coaching staff of the Fars province and the Protection Office of the Sports Organization. The Protection Office found that Zarei’s participation in international tournaments would be against the law. The Office did not specify what law prohibits Baha’is from representing Iran in sports tournaments.

The Iranian youth judo trials this year was held on June 15, 2009. At first, the Fars Province Judo Commission did not issue Zarei credentials for entering the tournament. After some controversies, the chair of the Iranian Judo Federation, Mr. Amini, found no legal grounds prohibiting Zarei’s participation. Zarei entered the trials and won all his matches. Once again, however, the Federation found that since Zarei was a Baha’i, he could not be in the national team nor could he represent Iran in the world championship tournament in Armenia. The Federation authorities pointed out that the orders had come from the Protection Office and that the Federation was without authority to act.

The by-laws of the International Judo Federation and other national federations indicate that these organizations must operate independently of politics and be free of national, religious, ethnic or racial discriminations. Iranian constitution and the by-laws of the international Olympics Committee also do not allow religious discrimination. The discrimination against the Baha’is is not limited to the athletes as they are also prohibited from getting judo coaching or refereeing credentials. This is against the spirit of judo.

Issues like the discrimination against the Baha’is demonstrate that sports in Iran are politicized. This results in a flawed system as the athletes’ abilities do not determine their success.

Iran, the birthplace of the Baha'i Faith

We entreat God to deliver the light of equity and the sun of justice from the thick clouds of waywardness, and cause them to shine forth upon men. No light can compare with the light of justice. The establishment of order in the world and the tranquillity of the nations depend upon it. - Baha'u'llah

From Wikipedia: Built in 1971, the architect, Hossein Amanat, won a competition to design the monument, which combines elements of Sassanid and Islamic architecture. Ironically, he practices a religion—the Bahá'í Faith—that is persecuted by the current government. Amanat integrated a degree of Baha'i symbology in the design, such as having exactly nine stripes on each side, and exactly nine windows on either of the long sides of the structure. It is part of the Azadi cultural complex, located in Tehran's Azadi Square in an area of some 50,000 m². There are several fountains around the base of the tower and a museum underground.

Junior Youth Service Project

After completing a Junior Youth animator course offered by the worldwide Baha'i Community in different localities, Nima and I were able to start our own junior youth group in Newmarket, Ontario (one year ago). There are 12 youth that come, all of which are from various racial and religious backgrounds.

The program focuses on strengthening the power of expression – literacy, comprehension and eloquent speech – and critical thinking, helping youth to recognize the moral implications of speech and action and aiding them to make sound life decisions.

To build and sustain truly prosperous communities in a time of rapid global change certainly depends to a great extent on the effectiveness of the preparations the youth make for the world they will inherit. All Baha'i inspired junior youth programs are offered with the conviction that people of this age group (11 - 14 yrs) represent a vast reservoir of energy that can be directed toward the advancement of civilization. For more information, check out http://www.wordswell.ca/.

Since service to the community is an important aspect of the program, some of our junior youth recently participated in a road clean up. One boy said to another, "If we do things like this, it will help make our community better!"

Happy Ridvan!

Baha'i International Community sends letter to Iran's chief prosecutor

http://bic.org/areas-of-work/persecution/prosecutor-general-iran-en.pdf

The seven "Friends in Iran" to be put on trial

GENEVA — Reports that seven imprisoned Baha’is have been accused of espionage and other crimes and that their case will be referred to the Revolutionary Court next week are deeply concerning, potentially marking a new and dangerous stage in Iran’s persecution of Baha’is, said the Baha’i International Community today.
“The accusations are false, and the government knows this,” said Diane Ala’i, the Baha’i International Community representative to the United Nations in Geneva. “The seven Baha’is detained in Tehran should be immediately released.”

For the full story, please visit:

http://news.bahai.org/story/694

or

http://www.bahainews.ca/

We are ashamed!

Editor’s Note: The following is an open letter from a group of academics, writers, artists, journalists and Iranian activists throughout the world to the Baha’i community. This letter has been signed by a large number of the most prominent Iranian intellectuals.

http://www.iranpresswatch.org/2009/02/we-are-ashamed/