Arash Miresmaeili

Arash Miresmaeili (Persian: آراشمیرسماعیلی [ɔːˈrɔːʃ miːresmɔːiːˈliː]; * 3. March 1981 in Chorramabad) is an Iranian Judoka. He is the acting world champion in the half light weight (up to 66 kg).

Miresmaeili became already at the age of 15 years member of the Iranian Judonationalmannschaft. With the olympic plays he achieved 2000 in Sydney in the half light weight place 5.

In the year after he became with the Judo world championships in Munich world champion. Thus he was the first Iranian in the history, which could achieve a world champion title. Its title could it 2003 with the world championships in Ōsaka successfully defend.

With the olympic plays 2004 in Athens Miresmaeili did not ensure for a political scandal, when he explained, it wants against the Israeli Judoka Ehud Vaks to begin, in order to in this way express its sympathy for the Palestinian people.

This expression in the apron of the plays encountered violent criticism. Miresmaeili was allowed to state the Iranian olympia crew during the opening celebration with the invasion of the athletes as color bearers. To 14. August 2004 withdrew Miresmaeili its boycott menace. However it did not become certified the matches, after it to 15. August 2004 when official weighing the weight limit of 66 kilograms exceeded.

The press speaker of the Judo world union Michel Brousse expressed itself surprised, “that calculated a sportsman of the class from Miresmaeili to weighing with predominance start”. He announced, the executive committee to that internationally Judo Federation this case will examine.