Posted on 07/25/21
| News Source: i24
Rare exchange between citizens of two hostile nations with Islamic Republic refusing to recognize Israel
Ronen Ginzburg, the Israeli coach of the Czech national men's basketball team, shook hands with his Iranian counterpart, Mehran Shahintab, before a match between the two teams on Sunday at the Tokyo Olympics.
“Obviously it’s special that an Israeli coach is leading a team against Iran,” Ginzburg told the Ynet news site before the game.
The Czech Republic held off a late rally to beat Iran 84-78.
The Islamic Republic does not recognize Israel and the two countries have been engaged in hostilities since the 1979 revolution that overthrew the shah and installed a theocratic regime.
Athletes from Muslim-majority countries in the Middle East and North Africa have sometimes boycotted their Israeli counterparts during international competitions.
Algerian judoka Fethi Nourine and his coach withdrew from the Tokyo Olympics to avoid facing an Israeli athlete. They were both temporarily suspended by the International Judo Federation.
Avishag Semberg on Saturday won Israel's first medal at the Tokyo Olympic Games, taking bronze in Women's Taekwondo 49kg after defeating Turkey's Rukiye Yildirim.
This represents the country's first medal in a sport other than judo, windsurfing and kayaks and 10th overall.