Statement of Larry Sciacchetano - USA Wrestling President and Member of FILA Bureau

USA vs. IRAN WRESTLING (Friday, 7/25/98) – GOODWILL GAMES

"As far as we can tell there's a group of protestors in the stands a bunch of them with politically motivated signs. The team leader for Iran and the wrestlers took offense. We've tried to explain to them with great difficulty that this is an open society. We can't control what people say. I think we can prevent signs from being in the arena because they obstruct the views of other people who've paid to come in to watch the match.

"But we're not about to tell people what they can say or what they can't say. We've explained that to the Iranians. Certainly, we want to continue our good relations. It's terrible when politics have to interfere with sports.   This isn't the place for it, but again, as we said it's a free society and we can't prevent people, nor will we try to prevent them from saying what they want to say.

"We don't want this to damage our relations. We've worked hard to build a good relationship with the Iranian Federation. I think they understand that we don't want this to happen, but at the same time, to some degree, our hands are tied. We're not going to interfere with the rights of people to speak their minds. We wish they wouldn't choose a sports venue to make a political statement. That's absolutely the wrong place.

"We have asked people to keep the signs down, and we will prevent signs from being in the arena, because they distract the view of other people that have paid to watch these matches. I think we have that right. But beyond preventing them from making whatever statement, we certainly can't do that, nor will we. We hope the match goes on. The Iranians are back out and wrestling and we hope that we can wrestle this match to conclusion. They're a great team, this should be a hard fought match, and it's a shame that this had to distract from the wrestling that's happening on the mats. These are great athletes, and we owe them some respect."

(UNTELLIGIBLE) WAS IT THE IRANIAN TEAM LEADER WHO PULLED THEM OFF?

They weren't going to come out because of the political statements, and they felt like they were being insulted. We don't understand Farsi; I don't know what was being said. But they felt like they were being insulted, it was a distraction to them and it was insult. Again, we explained to them that we don't control who comes, and we don't control what they say. But we can certainly can control them interfering with other people watching and enjoying the match.

SO THEY'RE NOT ALLOWED TO WAVE BANNERS?

They can wave banners, they just can't hold up big signs that obstruct the whole row of view, that kind of thing. Really, that's all we've asked them to do. Security has taken signs down. They can wave flags, and holler, and yell, and play music or whatever they need to do.  We don't think they should be obstructing the view of other people who want to watch the match.

WILL THIS IMPACT ON THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS (IN TEHERAN)

No, not all. It's not something we can control, and I expect they understand that. We're here to wrestle; we're not here to make any type of political statement. We like them, and we're good friends. They treated us great when we were there, and their spectators treated us great. And our spectators have treated them great. I don't know who this group is, and I don't know if they're trying to make a political statement. I can't identify, and I can't even speculate as to what their intentions are.

THEY WERE ALSO AT THE WORLD CUP.

Were these same people? If they were, they weren't causing the same type of distractions.

AREN'T THESE VERY GOODWILL GAMES A POLITCAL STATEMENT?

Well, if they are, they're a political statement that people ought to be able get along together. I think that was the original intention of the Goodwill Games, to help relations between countries, so that people can interact in a friendly venue, and that's what this is intended for. Nobody's trying to say that one government's better than another government through sport. That isn't the intention of the Goodwill Games; the Goodwill Games are the exact opposite of a political statement.

DID THEY SAY ANYTHING AS TO WHAT THEY SPECIFICALLY OBJECTED TO?

Really, no. Honestly they did not say. They just said they were being insulted, it was distracting to them, and offensive to them, and I don't blame them for that as to being offended. I can understand the distraction. But at the same time this is a different society and we cannot control what people say, and nor will we try.

SO THERE WASN'T ANY EFFORT BEFORE THE GAME TO TRY TO TAKE AWAY BANNERS THAT HAD POLITCIAL STATEMENTS ON THEM.

No, we didn't expect it. We didn't anticipate it to tell you the truth.