IRAN: US AMATEUR WRESTLING TEAM ARRIVE IN TEHRAN

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Eng/Farsi/Nat An excited American amateur wrestling team arrived in Tehran on Tuesday. It's the first U-S sports team to visit Iran since its revolution of 1979. Wrestling is a hugely popular sport in Iran and the visitors were mobbed at the airport by autograph hunters as well as a large posse of foreign reporters. It was a warm welcome at Iran's international airport for the head of the U-S Wrestling Federation, Larry Sciacchetano. He was greeted by Mohammed Reza Taleqani, deputy chairman of Iranian wrestling federation The wrestlers are among the most high profile American visitors to the strict Islamic state since militant Iranian students seized the U-S embassy in Tehran and held some 52 Americans hostage for 444 days. But the wrestling officials were playing-down the political significance, and said they were focusing on the competition ahead. SOUNDBITE: (English) "When the Iranians come to America for the World Cup the Iranian fans are great, so we're looking forward to competing in front of them." SUPER CAPTION: Larry Sciacchetano, Head of U-S Wrestling Federation The team was swamped by autograph hunters and the media as soon as it emerged. One of the wrestlers, Zeke Jones, a 1992 Olympic silver medalist from Chandler, Arizona said coming to Iran was fulfilling a lifelong dream. SOUNDBITE: (English) Q: "How do you feel about being in Iran?" A: "I'm excited about being here - one of my dreams- two of my dreams are to be a Olympic gold medalist and to wrestle in Iran, where the greatest wrestling fans in the world are ." SUPER CAPTION: Zeke Jones, U-S Wrestling Team He said he hoped the relationship between America and Iran could be helped by taking part in sporting events such as this competition. SOUNDBITE: (English) "I come for sport and I hope through sport that relationship - that we can be friends, the United States and Iran but I love the people of Iran and the sport of wrestling and coming together- absolutely." SUPER CAPTION: Zeke Jones, U-S Wrestling Team The wrestlers said they had a lot of respect for the Iranians wrestlers and were sure it was going to be a good competition. SOUNDBITE: (English) Q: How do you feel about coming to Iran - please ? A: "I feel excited." Q: "What do you think about the Iranian team?" A: "They're good." SUPER CAPTION: Melvin Douglas, U-S Wrestling Team The American wrestlers said that while they were in Iran, they'd do their best to fit in. Former Olympic and world champion Kevin Jackson said he'd been doing some homework to make sure he didn't cause any offense to the Iranian people. SOUNDBITE: (English) Q: "Did you get a briefing before you got here?" A: "Yes, we did." Q: " What were you told?" A: " We were just told to you know abide by the laws, abide the laws and that um, this is our first time over here so... people are going to be looking at us and interviewing us and taking pictures and this and that - just be prepared for that." Q: "How much do you know about the laws of this country- drinking and all that?" A: "Yes I know quite a bit, I mean I pulled up on my computer the do's and don'ts of Iran." Q:" What were you told not to do?" A:"You know - you can't shake hands with a female, it is inappropriate to stare at a female, you know, alcohol is illegal." SUPER CAPTION: Kevin Jackson, U-S Wrestling Team Leading Iranian officials are playing-down the political symbolism of the trip though comparisons with the visit and Washington's "ping-pong diplomacy" with China in the 1970s have proved irresistible. Wrestling in Iran holds the same prestige as table tennis in China, being Iran's traditional sport and its most successful in terms of Olympic and World Championships medals. You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/a752074a5ef69cb09b82002a87ea9853 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork