LAUSANNE: The International Olympic Committee has registered its official protests over the execution of wrestler Navid Afkari in Iran as "very sad news". "The IOC is shocked by this announcement," the world body declared.
In letters, IOC president Thomas Bach had earlier made direct personal appeals to the Islamic state's Supreme Leader and to the President of Iran over the past week week and asked for mercy for Navid Afkari, while respecting the sovereignty of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
"It is deeply upsetting that the pleas of athletes from around the world and all the behind-the-scenes work of the IOC, together with the NOC of Iran, United World Wrestling and the National Iranian Wrestling Federation, did not achieve our goal. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Navid Afkari," the IOC president has been quoted as stating.
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