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Iranian wrestler who saw Ayatollah abuse athletes defends American women speaking out against trans inclusion
By Jackson Thompson
Published March 18, 2026
Former Iranian wrestling champion Sardar Pashaei witnessed female athletes from his country face lashings simply for being seen without a hijab.
Now, he is also witnessing mistreatment of female athletes in America in a different way.
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Pashaei objects to the alleged silencing and retaliation against American female athletes who have spoken up for the protection of women's sports from biological male trans athletes.
"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.
"I'm against silencing athletes. If they have a concern, if they think that something is not fair for them, because as an athlete, you know, you have to have a lot of discipline, spend a lot of energy to get to that level, and then you know, this is your dream to become a world champion or an Olympic champion. So for all of athletes, it should be an equal, opportunity and also atmosphere that everybody can speak and also share any concern that they have."
NEW OLYMPICS CHIEF CALLS FOR 'PROTECTING' WOMEN'S CATEGORY AMID GLOBAL TRANS ATHLETE WAVE
Pashaei, who won the 1998 World Youth Wrestling Championship, has also urged the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to exercise vigilance in protecting the women's category.
"I think the International Olympic Committee should pay attention to this and also based on the scientific norm, try to create an equal field opportunity for everybody to compete," he said.
"And everybody should compete in the sport in the field in the level that they are supposed to be in. And I know this is becoming complicated but I think every athlete in the world, they want to have a fair game to compete."
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A recent poll by the Center Square Voters' Voice found 68% of registered voters support the Supreme Court upholding state bans on trans athletes in women's sports. The poll had 2,659 respondents, including 952 Republicans, 934 Democrats, and 773 Independents.
In the poll, 88% of Republican voters supported upholding state bans on transgender women competing in women’s sports whereas 49% of Democrat voters said the same.
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https://www.foxnews.com/sports/iranian-wrestler-who-saw-ayatollah-abuse-athletes-defends-american-women-speaking-out-against-trans-athletes