The Taekwondo League’s Judiciary Committee issued a two-year suspension for the Shiri sisters.
According to Iranian media reports, the Judiciary Committee of the Women’s Premier League Taekwondo competitions has banned Sogol and Sogand Shiri from participating in competitions for two years.
This suspension was announced after the protest by these two taekwondo athletes in the Premier League competition hall caused an interruption in the flow of the matches. The issued verdict is set to undergo final review in the Taekwondo Federation’s Disciplinary Committee.
Previously, images of the protest by these two sisters during the first week of the Premier League Taekwondo, known as the Irandokht Cup, were published on social media.
In response to the match’s refereeing, they overturned the advertising boards beside the mat and resisted officials’ requests to leave the scene.
ISNA news agency reported that the protest by these two athletes was against the referees’ decision.
Sogol Shirazi told the Afra Sports news website that during the national team selection matches in the summer, after losing to Mahrooz Saei, the head coach of the Iran women’s national taekwondo team, she was told that one of her points was unjustly taken away, but Ms. Saei publicly pulled her ear and said she had no right to speak against her.
Sogol Shirazi says Mahrooz Saei’s intervention caused her defeat. Sogand Shirazi also states that after winning against another taekwondo athlete, while going to pay respect to the opposing coach, a handshake was unintentionally exchanged.
In the end, they said I was not allowed to play and was even banned from the next round. They asked me to sign an acceptance, but I did not sign.
These competitions were broadcast live on Iran’s Channel 3 television.