Kianoush Rostami is a two-time Olympian from Iran. Rostami won the gold medal at the 2016 Olympic Games in the 85kg weight category and was voted the Male Weightlifter of the Year by the International Weightlifting Federation (IWF) this past February.
In a report by Inside the Games, however, Rostami’s application for a visa has been denied by the United States, citing a “214b denial”. This means that the visa was denied because the United States Department of State is concerned that Rostami would not return to Iran following the IWF World Championships later this month.
While the rest of Iran’s team have been granted visas, Rostami traveled to Dubai last week to meet with consular officials for a second interview. Athletes from Iraq and Albania are also waiting on their visa applications to be approved.
Stay tuned for developments on this story.
