The Olympic defectors

A single glance changes an Iraqi weightlifter's life forever

An episode of the Amazing Sport Stories podcast, hosted by BBC World Service, titled "The Olympic defectors" was published on August 12, 2024 and runs 16 minutes.

August 12, 2024 ·16m · Amazing Sport Stories

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Summary

Iraqi weightlifter Raed Ahmed was proud to carry his country's flag at the opening ceremony for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. But the honour came with a strict instruction: he was not to look at the American President, Bill Clinton. Iraq's Olympic Committee was led by Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, a man with a reputation for brutality.But Raed had already begun to think of escape. And that night, with a single glance, he made up his mind. This is the story of how he took the most dangerous decision of his life, and what happened next.Audio scenes have been re-created. Let us know what you think #AmazingSportStories

Episode Description

Iraqi weightlifter Raed Ahmed was proud to carry his country's flag at the opening ceremony for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics. But the honour came with a strict instruction: he was not to look at the American President, Bill Clinton. Iraq's Olympic Committee was led by Saddam Hussein's son, Uday, a man with a reputation for brutality.

But Raed had already begun to think of escape. And that night, with a single glance, he made up his mind. This is the story of how he took the most dangerous decision of his life, and what happened next.

Audio scenes have been re-created. Let us know what you think #AmazingSportStories

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