Tehran, IRNA – Iranian wrestler Mohammad Reza Gerai faced off the three-time world champion Frank Staebler on Saturday, but deliberately lost to him to make the German wrestler bid farewell to wrestling as a winner.
The two faced off in a symbolic match in the German city of Ludwigsburg, 9 months after they competed in Tokyo Olympics where the Iranian wrestler defeated his German competitor.
32-year-old Staebler, who had already won three gold medals, earned a bronze medal in Tokyo games last summer when he decided to say goodbye to wrestling.
During the goodbye ceremony on Saturday, other top wrestlers from around the world were present as well.
Mohammad Reza Gerai competed with Staebler and was ahead 7-2.
But, he deliberately lost to his German competitor during the ending stages of the match to leave Staebler with a good memory of his last competition in wrestling.
Source: Islamic Republic News Agency – IRNA
