Ehud Vaks

In the 2004 Summer Olympics, competing in the half lightweight (66 kg) weight class, Vaks was scheduled to fight Iranian competitor Arash Miresmaeili in the first round. Miresmaeili was disqualified from the competition because he was above the allowable weight limit for his class.

It is widely believed that Miresmaili deliberately set out to be disqualified for political reasons, which is supported by his own comments: “Although I have trained for months and was in good shape I refused to fight my Israeli opponent to sympathise with the suffering of the people of Palestine and I do not feel upset at all."{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A2137-2004Aug15.html|title=Politics, Not Sport, Come First for Iranian Athlete|last=Kaufman|first=Michelle|date=August 16, 2004|work=The Washington Post|access-date=May 20, 2009}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=fNsDAAAAMBAJ&q=vaks+olympics+judo&pg=PA144 |title=Black Belt |date=December 2004 |access-date=January 7, 2011}}{{cite news|url=http://www.smh.com.au/olympics/articles/2004/08/16/1092508362704.html |title=Iran refuses judo bout against Israel |publisher=Sydney Morning Herald |date= August 17, 2004|access-date=January 7, 2011}}

Comments from Iranian officials also supported this view. The Iranian state news agency quoted Iranian President Mohammad Khatami as saying that Miresmaeili's actions would be "recorded in the history of Iranian glories," and that the nation considered him to be "the champion of the 2004 Olympic Games."{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=DYR7SqcMe9gC&q=vaks+olympics+judo&pg=PA156 |title=Aftershock: anti-zionism and anti-semitism |publisher= Dundurn Press Ltd. |author=David Matas|isbn=1-55002-553-8 |year=2005 |access-date=January 7, 2011}}

Iranian Olympic team chairman Nassrollah Sajadi told the Sharq newspaper that the government should give the athlete a $115,000 bonus for his actions, the same amount it gave to gold medalists.{{cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A6582-2004Aug16.html|title=Judoka Praised by Iranian Government|last=Whitlock|first=Craig|date=August 17, 2004|work=The Washington Post|access-date=May 20, 2009}}

Miresmaeili's disqualification resulted in Vaks being awarded a bye into the 2nd round, where he was defeated by Algerian judoka Amar Meridja.{{cn|date=July 2022}}

• List of select Jewish judokas
• List of Israelis
• Arash Miresmaeili § Athens Olympic Games; controversy

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Category:1979 births

Category:Living people

Category:Israeli male judoka

Category:Olympic judoka for Israel

Category:Judoka at the 2004 Summer Olympics

Category:Israeli Ashkenazi Jews

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