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Takhti: the forgotten Iranian Mohammad Ali

Why doesn't the world remember Takhti? By Ali Hosseyni Gholamreza Takhti's name is all over Iran and in ever city and town there are wrestling clubs with Takhti's smiling photograph hanging on the wall in a position of honour. There is even "Takhti" wrestling club in each every town in Iran. Takhti was a supporter of the Iranian Prime Minister Mohammad Mossadegh , and an enemy of the Pahlavi regime, which overthrew the democratically-elected government of Mossadegh in 1953 with the help of Britain and the US . In 1968 on the 7th January 1968, the Shah sent Savak to kill the legend. They said it was suicide. Mohammad Reza Pahlavi wept crocodile tears when he heard the news. It was not suicide. Mohammed Reza had ordered his death. Takhti was the greatest wrestler in the world in the 1950's and early 60s. He won a silver medal for Iran at the Olympics in Helsinki in 1952. He won a gold medal at 1956 in the Olympics in Melbourne and a Gold in Tokyo