Iran's "Hercules" withdraws from active sports (Roundup)

Jul 23, 2008, 16:59 GMT

Tehran - Iran's two-time heavyweight weightlifting Olympic champion, Hossein Rezazadeh, has withdrawn from active sports, ISNA news agency reported Wednesday.

Less than three weeks before the start of the Olympic Games in Beijing on August 8, Rezazadeh, also widely known as 'Iran's Hercules' and the strongest man in the world, was told by his medical team to quit, ISNA reported without however giving details about the medical reasons.

Rezazadeh, who won gold at the Games in Sydney in 2000 and Athens four years ago, was also expected to grab a third Olympic gold in Beijing.

In a letter to the Iranian people, carried by ISNA, Rezazadeh said he hoped that after 15 years in active sports and achieving pride for his country, his fans would understand his decision and not be disappointed in him.

The 30-year-old Rezazadeh was the absolute sports hero in Iran where football and wrestling dominate the local sports scene. In his honour, his hometown Ardebil in north-western Iran has named its sports stadium after him.

Besides his two Olympic gold medals from Sydney and Athens, Rezazadeh was four times world champion, three times Asian champion and was a two-time gold medal winner in the Asian Olympics.