One of the top wrestlers in the U.S, Jordan Burroughs, will not get a shot at redemption following a disappointing performance at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Burroughs planned to compete at the upcoming wrestling freestyle World Cup in Iran. However, Iran has banned the USA wrestling team from traveling into the country following President Donald Trump’s executive order refusing visas for Iranians.
“Training comes to a halt. We’re like ‘OK, what do we do now? Where do we go? Where do we compete?'” Burroughs told the Associated Press. “I’m just bummed. I love Iran. I love their people, and I don’t get into politics. I wasn’t going to make a political stance. I was going to compete.”
This is the first action Iran has taken against the U.S. following Trump’s executive order to ban seven different Muslim countries from receiving visas.
Burroughs won Olympic gold at the 2012 London Games. He has not competed since the Rio Games.
“These decisions, these executive decisions, are always so far beyond your reach,” Burroughs said. “Like, you always feel like ‘Well, the presidency or these strict laws or these Muslim bans or whatever you like to call them, they’ll never affect me.’ This is one of the few times where something so personal has occurred. Almost like it (was) handed down from the president to us. It’s a bummer.”
