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| Iranian marksman Javad Foroughi celebrates after winning the gold medal in the men's 10-meter air pistol competition at Asaka Shooting Range in Tokyo, Saturday. AP-Yonhap |
By Kwak Yeon-soo
Iranian marksman Javad Foroughi, who won Iran's first gold medal in the men's 10-meter air pistol at the Summer Olympics in Tokyo, has come under fire for his membership in a militia of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), which is designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. in 2019.
Korean shooter Jin Jong-oh, a six-time Olympic medalist, expressed his objection to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for awarding Foroughi, calling it "pure nonsense." He also slammed the organizers for failing to abide by proper quarantine measures.
"How can a terrorist win first place (at the Olympics)? That's the most absurd and ridiculous thing," he told reporters after arriving at Incheon International Airport, Wednesday.
His remark came after the Iranian human rights athletic organization, United for Navid, issued a statement following Foroughi's victory.
"We consider the awarding of an Olympic Gold Medal to Iran marksman Javad Foroughi not only a catastrophe for Iranian sports but also for the international community, and especially the reputation of the IOC. The 41-year old Foroughi is a current and longtime member of a terrorist organization," it said in a statement.
"We call for an immediate investigation by the IOC, and until an investigation is completed the suspension of any medal award."
Jin, who won one gold medal in the men's 10-meter air pistol event at the 2012 Olympics in London and a silver medal at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, failed to make it past the qualification stage in Tokyo.
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