Mehdi Rostampour is a correspondent for RFE/RL's Radio Farda.
A controversial Iranian track star turned Turkish para-athlete has been stripped of his gold medal and denied the right to compete in another event at the Paralympic Games in Paris.
Since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, scores of Iranian athletes who have shown anything but complete loyalty to the clerical establishment have been barred from competitions, arrested, or even executed.
In an interview with RFE/RL's Radio Farda, Iranian wrestler Mohammad Namjoo-Motlagh says he is seeking asylum in Germany after being the target of "constant threats and psychological pressure" from the authorities for supporting the ongoing antiestablishment protests that have rocked the country.
