Nippon Budokan is considered the spiritual home of the Japanese martial arts – especially judo. The sport celebrated its Olympic debut here at the first Olympic Games in Tokyo in 1964. The octagonal main hall in Kitanomaru Park is modeled on the Horyu-ji temple in Mara and conveys strength and calm.
It is a very special place for Judoka Saeed Mollai. “First and foremost I would like to dedicate this medal to myself. Then my family and then everyone who supported me, ”said the youngest Olympic runner-up at the Deutsche Welle press conference. The Iranian had fought his way to the final in four games in the 81 kg weight category, but could not beat home favorites Takanori Nagase from Japan.
Takanori Nagas from Japan (left) and Said Molay from Mongolia (right) celebrate their competition in the men’s judo 81kg class final.
Why didn’t Moulay compete with the Israeli athletes?
Budokan, where around 11,000 spectators were expected to cheer on the Juduk during the Olympics, is a familiar area for Malaysians. After all, as a pregnant champion, he lost his World Cup semi-finals there two years ago – a defeat that would change his life.
Al-Malayi’s coach received a call from the Iranian deputy minister of sport on the same day with clear instructions: Mollaei do not advance, he could possibly face an Israeli opponent during the competition at Sagi Muki. Iran has banned athletes from competing with athletes from Israel for decades because it does not recognize the country as a state. However, Molay continued to fight and also defeated his next opponent.
Then, shortly before the semifinals, a member of staff from the Iranian embassy approached Mollaei in the warm-up hall and told him that security guards were at his parents’ house. The judoka got his passport, sprinted onto the carpet and just lost to the Belgian Matthias Kaas – the final against Muki was avoided. “One should be brave in life. But a thousand questions went through my head. What would happen to me or my family? So I listened to it, ”Moulay later admitted. The Israeli Muki won the world title.
Why is Molay competing for Mongolia?
Moulay congratulated his successor on Instagram. This gesture is celebrated in Israel. Muki replied: “Thank you, Saeed. You are an inspiration as a person and as an athlete. ” The Ayatollah’s regime reacted with anger, and after the World Cup, Mollaei left for Germany. And so his dream of an Olympic gold medal seemed dead, because his homeland would never nominate him for the championship again.
Said Mollaei competes in Germany with KSV Esslingen
The International Judo Federation (IFJ) supported Moulaye in his goal of participating in the Olympic Games – be it on a refugee team or as an athlete in another discipline. Moulay accepted Mongolian President Chaltmagen Battulga’s offer to compete for the future Central Asian nation. When asked about the Tokyo Olympics, Mollai said, “I’ll go back and get my rights back.”
Why is Budokan important to my master?
In February he traveled to Israel to take part in the Grand Slam tournament. This made him the first Iranian athlete to take part in a tournament organized by Israel since the Islamic Revolution in 1979.
Although Mollaei now also has a Mongolian passport, Iranian citizenship cannot be given up under Iranian law. Still, it was liberating for my fillers. “I am very happy. Now I am like any other athlete. I am free, there are no problems, no politics – just an athlete. ” He also spent the last two months before the Olympics in Israel, where he trained with the world’s number six, Muki, with whom he is now close friends.
Back in Tokyo, Moulay’s story ends where it began, Nippon Budokan. In the semifinals he would meet Muki, but Muki lost one lap earlier. Moulay reached the final and won the Olympic silver medal. “I’ve been through so much I can’t see my family. But now, after two years of hard work, I’m back here, ”Mollaei explains when asked by DW. “Because I never said goodbye to this place.”
