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U.S. wrestlers set to go for World Cup in Iran

Xinhua, February 11, 2017 Adjust font size:

The U.S. free wrestling squad are well-prepared for the World Cup to be held in Iran in the coming days, head coach Bill Zadick was quoted by Tehran Times daily on Saturday.

"We're prepared, we're set to go. When I heard that we were initially denied, it was disappointing. But the diplomacy of the Iranian Wrestling Federation going to their government and lobbying on our behalf worked well," Zadick said.

"Each of us wants to win. When you step on the mat and the whistle blows their athletes fight hard and we fight hard," he added.

On Feb. 3, Iran said that it would deny the American team visas, in response to Washington's controversial travel ban against citizens from seven Mulim-majority countries, including Iran.

However, Iran Wrestling Federation urged the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to coordinate visa issuance for the U.S. wrestling squad.

Iran's Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qasemi said on Feb. 5 that it would grant visas to the U.S. wrestlers to partake in the competitions in the Iranian city of Kermanshah on Feb. 17-18. Endit