By: Kayhan International

Religion, if followed sincerely, is manifestation of the highest form of ethical values, while the display of the symbols of faith is a form of public education to uplift minds, instil in them the open expression of thanksgiving to the Almighty Creator, and promote in society the principles of peace and amity.
Sports is recreation to refresh the body, develop the values of keen contest, strengthen the spirit of fairness, negate gamesmanship, and give the deserving their due without the least discrimination, bias, prejudice, and cheating.
When an athlete, in a national or international sporting event, expresses gratitude to God on winning a competition in a fair manner, he/she is spreading the message of goodwill – to spectators in the stadium, to the organizers, to the audio/visual/print media enthusiasts, to the officials of the host country, and to world public at large.
What, if such an exemplary athlete despite winning the contest in all fairness is deprived of the deserving award, or that the trophy/medal is snatched from him/her on the flimsy basis of religious bigotry, political ploy, and ethnic inequality!
This is a big blot or that that particular games and plain cheating, if not Godlessness, on the part of the organizers as well as the host country for its hostility towards the sanctities of a divine religion and the beliefs of the athlete concerned.
This is what happened to Iranian Javelin Thrower, Sadeq Beit Sayah, at the Paris Paralympics.
Awarded the gold medal for his record-breaking throw of 47.64 meters, he was elated at his success, but in all humbleness to match his sporting skills, he publicly displayed his thankfulness to God in all earnestness during the victory celebrations.
To his astonishment, however, and to the shock of the civilized world, the organizers disqualified him, snatched his medal, and gave it to the one who finished second.
The Iranian athlete did not offend anyone. He neither derided the beliefs of any religion nor propagated the merits of his own faith.
He only waved a banner inscribed “Ya (O’) Zahra” for his veneration for the lofty characteristics of Prophet Muhammad’s (SAWA) Infallible Daughter, who is respected worldwide for her magnanimity, piety, and equity.
A deeply shaken Sadeq Beit Sayah told reporters that he had displayed a religious emblem during his victory celebration at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games without any issue.
Officials from Iran’s track and field team have protested the disqualification and pointed to the hostile nature of the organizers as well as the French regime, which seems to be hostile to Islamic and all humanitarian values, while shamelessly supporting the genocide in Gaza by the illegal Zionist entity.