News / Sports

Iran’s 1952 Helsinki Olympics silver medalist dies aged 86

Tuesday, 16 May 2017 8:50 AM [ Last Update: Tuesday, 16 May 2017 8:53 AM ]

Late Iranian freestyle wrestler and international wrestling referee Nasser Givehchi

Veteran Iranian wrestler, head coach of the Iran’s national Greco-Roman wrestling teams and international wrestling referee Nasser Givehchi has passed away at the age of 86.

Givehchi lost a long battle with disease on Monday, and died at his home in the Iranian capital city of Tehran.

The late Iranian freestyle wrestler, who was born on November 12, 1932, claimed the second spot in the featherweight division of the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

He also competed at the 1956 Summer Olympics, which was held in Australia’s second-most populous city. Givehchi finished sixth in the 62-kilogram weight division.

This file photo shows late Iranian freestyle wrestler Nasser Givehchi (L) after finishing second in the featherweight division of the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

The Iranian sportsman ranked fifth at the 1954 World Wrestling Championships in Tokyo.

He won the bronze medal of the 62-kilogram category at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan.

The burial ceremony for the veteran Iranian international wrestling referee was held in Behesht-e Zahra, Iran’s largest cemetery located in southern Tehran, at 10 a.m. local time (0630 GMT) on Tuesday.

A mourning ceremony in his commemoration is due to be held at Tehran's al-Ghadir Mosque on Friday afternoon.

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