US, Iran Band Together to Save Wrestling as an Olympic Sport - East Idaho News
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US, Iran Band Together to Save Wrestling as an Olympic Sport

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GETTY 21313 OlympicFlag?  SQUARESPACE CACHEVERSION=1361352169587ADRIAN DENNIS/AFP/GettyImages(NEW YORK) — Washington and Tehran have finally found common ground although it has nothing to do with Iran’s rogue nuclear program.

Last week’s announcement that the International Olympic Committee’s executive board has recommended dropping wrestling as an event for the 2020 Summer Games is putting the U.S. and Iran on the same side.

Both countries want to save wrestling and will make an appeal to the IOC to keep it as an Olympic sport.

Iran’s other strong allies, Russia and Cuba, are also said to be angered by the IOC decision, which could be reversed later this year although most Olympic observers don’t believe that will happen.

While the U.S. and Iran can agree on this issue, there have been no diplomatic ties between the two governments in more than three decades.

Wrestling is a particularly big sport in Iran.  Tehran will host the Wrestling World Cup starting Thursday.

Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio

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