The Times-� An Iranian wrestler is being lionised by the government for deliberately losing a match at a junior world championships so he would not have to fight an Israeli in the next round.

Alireza Karimi, 23, was well ahead in his quarter-final bout in the under-23 World Championships against a Russian, Alikhan Zhabrailov. Then news came in that in another quarter-final Uri Kalashnikov, the Israeli, had won. In a video of the event posted online, a voice can clearly be heard off-camera saying �Alireza, you have to lose!�

�In a moment, my whole world seemed to come to an end,� Karimi said afterwards.

Iran not only refuses to recognise the state of Israel but will not to allow any interaction by its citizens with Israelis.

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