Iran Press/ Iran news: The champions of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics met with the Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei this morning at Imam Khomeini Husseiniyah.
The Leader said: "You prove with your championship that things that seem impossible are actually possible. This is a very important achievement for our country. This message is very valuable for our time. Many bodies are planning, working to keep young Iranians away from hope and excitement, causing depression and frustration. In such an atmosphere, you inject this message of hope into the whole society. This is very valuable."
"Winning sports competitions, especially at the international level, carries an important message. That message is the message of ability, vitality, effort, willpower, that is, everyone feels that the person who was able to become a champion, to stand on the platform of the championship, has made every effort, is determined, and realized his potentials, given vitality to society. This is an important message of the championship on the international sports scene. In fact, champions are teachers of endurance, hope, and cheerfulness," he added.
The Leader emphasized: "This moral and brave behavior that you showed, along with spirituality, naming the sports squad after the martyrs, and especially after General Soleimani, is a very valuable work. The granting of medals by some of the champions to some special martyrs is very valuable."
He noted: "One important point is to support sports equipment manufacturers in the country. I heard that this year several countries used sportswear, which was a product of our country. This Iranian emblem shone in the world. Well, in fact, they were able to break the monopoly of some international brands with this. It's very valuable. Support this. Officials must support this production and the rest of the sports equipment must be made inside the country, and just as you could get this advantage here in the case of clothing, you probably will be able to do the same in the case of other sports equipment."
Referring to the championship of athletes despite some restrictions, the Leader said: "Despite these restrictions, the country's flag is raised and world platforms are conquered, it is a sign of strong will and determination, and this determination, will and championship and creating hope not only in sports, but also exists in the fields of science, technology, art and literature that one of the important duties of officials is to showcase these honors.
Ayatollah Khamenei called the manifestation of human, religious and spiritual values along with the championship very valuable and pointed to examples of these cases in the Olympic and Paralympic competitions.
He emphasized: "Iranian women athletes have proved in these competitions that the Islamic hijab does not prevent them from shining in the field of sports, as they have proved in the fields of politics, science and management."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution pointed out: "The hijab of Iranian women athletes has paved the way for female athletes in Islamic countries, so that now women athletes from more than 10 Islamic countries are present in sports fields by observing the hijab."
Ayatollah Khamenei considered the issue of non-recognition of the Israeli regime in sports scenes as a very important issue and said: "The ruthless, genocidal and illegitimate Zionist regime is trying to gain legitimacy by participating in international sports arenas and the world arrogant ones are helping it. Respected sports officials and athletes should not be passive in this area in any way."
Referring to the reciprocal actions of the Israeli regime and its supporters to deprive athletes, he stressed: "The Ministry of Sports and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the legal system should pursue this issue through legal means and support athletes in the country and even Muslim athletes from other countries such as Algerian athletes."
The Leader of the Islamic Revolution emphasized that a proud Iranian athlete could not shake hands with a representative of the criminal regime for a medal and actually recognize him, adding: "This is a matter of history and in the past athletes from countries refused to compete with representatives of the apartheid regime in South Africa. And after a while, that regime disappeared and the Zionist regime will also be destroyed."
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Leader receives Tokyo Olympics, Paralympics champions
