Iran
Ai Mori of Japan speaks after attending the women's lead semi-final of the IFSC Climbing World Cup Friday, Oct. 21, 2022, in Morioka, Iwate Prefecture, Japan. After Iranian climber Elnaz Rekabi joined a growing list of female athletes who have been targeted by their governments for defying authoritarian policies or acting out against bullying, a number of others have spoken out on their concerns of politics crossing into their sporting world. (AP Photo/Eugene Hoshiko)
Iran's Rekabi latest female athlete at risk in home country

By Stephen Wade Oct. 21, 2022 11:59 AM EDT

President of the Association of National Olympic Committees's, ANOC, Robin Mitchell answers questions during a news conference in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, Oct. 20, 2022. The president of Iran’s national Olympic committee claimed Thursday that competitive climber Elnaz Rekabi will not be punished or suspended after competing in South Korea over the weekend without wearing her nation’s mandatory headscarf. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man)
Iran's Olympic chief claims no punishment coming for climber

By Kim Tong-Hyung Oct. 20, 2022 08:43 AM EDT

Trevor Mastrogiovanni, right, of Oklahoma State, battles Jesse Ybarra, left, of Iowa, during the Bout at the Ballpark wrestling event Saturday, Feb. 12, 2022, at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. (Steve Nurenberg/The Dallas Morning News via AP)
USA, Iowa dominate wrestling event at Texas Rangers' stadium

By Cliff Brunt Feb. 13, 2022 12:38 AM EST

Vinzenz Geiger, of Germany, soars through the air during a trial round in the ski jump portion of the individual Gundersen normal hill event at the 2022 Winter Olympics, Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. (AP Photo/Matthias Schrader)
Olympics Live: Iran skier 1st confirmed doping case of Games

Feb. 08, 2022 08:51 PM EST

FILE - Saeid Mollaei of Mongolia celebrates with his silver medal during the award ceremony for the men -81kg judo match at the 2020 Summer Olympics in Tokyo, Japan, on July 27, 2021. The Iran judo federation’s appeal against a four-year ban from international events for refusing to let its athletes face opponents from Israel has been heard, and a verdict should take at least several weeks. The IJF acted against Iran after former world champion Saeid Mollaei left the team in 2019. He claimed he was ordered to lose matches at the 2019 world championships to avoid facing Israelis. Mollaei won a silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics competing for Mongolia. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Iran appeals ban from judo for avoiding Israeli opponents

Nov. 23, 2021 11:29 AM EST

United State's Gable Dan Steveson compete with Mongolia's Lkhagvagerel Munkhtur during the men's 125kg Freestyle wrestling semifinal match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Thursday, Aug. 5, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Aaron Favila)
American Taylor beats Iran's Yazdani for wrestling gold

By Cliff Brunt Aug. 05, 2021 10:40 AM EDT

Wojciech Nowicki, of Poland, competes in the final of the men's hammer throw at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, Aug. 4, 2021, in Tokyo. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)
Olympics Latest: World champ Dutch out in women's handball

Aug. 03, 2021 07:59 PM EDT

Iran's Arsalan Kazemi (41), left, and France's Nando de Colo (12) scramble for a loose ball during men's basketball preliminary round game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 31, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
France moves on, 'sad' Iran heads home in men's basketball

By Brian Mahoney Jul. 30, 2021 10:41 PM EDT

United States' Bam Adebayo dunks the ball ahead of Iran's Behnam Yakhchalidehkordi (88) during a men's basketball preliminary round game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (Charlie Neibergall/Pool Photo via AP)
US-Czech game has major Olympic quarterfinal implications

By Tim Reynolds Jul. 30, 2021 06:48 AM EDT

United States players stand during their national anthem prior to men's basketball preliminary round game between United States and Iran at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
Basketball diplomacy: US, Iran meet on court at Tokyo Games

By Tim Reynolds Jul. 28, 2021 06:20 AM EDT

Iran's Hamed Haddadi (15), center, is fouled by United States' Jerami Grant (9), left, during men's basketball preliminary round game at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 28, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Eric Gay)
US bounces back from Olympic-opening loss, routs Iran 120-66

By Brian Mahoney Jul. 28, 2021 04:03 AM EDT

Iran's Nahid Kiyani, front, attacks Kimia Alizadeh, of the Refugee Olympic Team, during the women's 57kg match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
EXPLAINER: How team of refugee athletes made it to Olympics

By James Ellingworth Jul. 25, 2021 03:17 AM EDT

Kimia Alizadeh Zonoozi, Refugee Olympic Team, right, is attacked by Britain's Jade Jones during the taekwondo women's 57kg match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Themba Hadebe)
Iranian taekwondoka barely misses refugee team's 1st medal

By Greg Beacham Jul. 24, 2021 11:57 PM EDT

Czech Republic's Patrik Auda (1) reacts after been called for a foul during men's basketball game against Iran at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Sunday, July 25, 2021, in Saitama, Japan. (AP Photo/Charlie Neibergall)
Czech Republic tops Iran 84-78 in Olympic basketball opener

Jul. 24, 2021 10:57 PM EDT

People prepare the field of play for judo at the Nippon Budokan ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Friday, July 23, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Algerian judoka refuses potential Olympic bout with Israeli

By Greg Beacham Jul. 23, 2021 10:29 PM EDT

THIS CORRECTS TO GOLD, NOT BRONZE - Naohisa Takato of Japan, left, and Yang Yung-wei of Taiwan compete during their men's -60kg gold medal judo match at the 2020 Summer Olympics, Saturday, July 24, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Vincent Thian)
Olympics Latest: US men get off to fast start in volleyball

Jul. 23, 2021 08:11 PM EDT

FILE - In this Aug. 18, 2016 file photo, Kimia Alizadeh Zenoorin of Iran celebrates after winning the bronze medal in a women's Taekwondo 57-kg competition at the 2016 Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The defector from Iran who left citing institutional sexism will face the Iranian in the opening bout of their taekwondo class at the Tokyo Olympics. The draw Thursday, July 22, 2021, for the women’s 57-kilogram class placed Kimia Alizadeh of the refugee team against Nahid Kiyani Chandeh of Iran. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini, File)
Refugee defector from Iran to face Iranian at Tokyo Olympics

Jul. 22, 2021 08:14 AM EDT

Novak Djokovic, of Serbia, practices at the Ariake Tennis Center ahead of the 2020 Summer Olympics, Wednesday, July 21, 2021, in Tokyo, Japan. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
The Latest: 3rd Czech athlete tests positive in Tokyo

Jul. 21, 2021 09:56 PM EDT

South Africa's Olympic soccer team members, wearing face masks, leave the training venue in Chiba, east of Tokyo, Monday, July 19, 2021. Two South African soccer players have become the first athletes inside the Olympic Village to test positive for COVID-19. The Tokyo Games open on Friday. (Kyodo News via AP)
Medal predictions for events at the Tokyo Olympics

Jul. 19, 2021 05:57 AM EDT

FILE - In this Feb. 18, 2014, file photo, a Russian skating fan holds the country's national flag over the Olympic rings before the start of the men's 10,000-meter speedskating race at Adler Arena Skating Center during the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia. World Athletics has declared 23 Russian track and field athletes eligible to compete under a neutral flag ahead of the Tokyo Olympics. Their national federation is under a doping suspension so Russians must apply for “authorized neutral athlete” status after their drug-testing records are vetted. High jumper Mikhail Akimenko and race walker Vasiliy Mizinov — both silver medalists from the 2019 world championships — were among the names on the list released by track’s governing body. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip, File)
Sochi Olympics

May. 22, 2021 08:33 AM EDT