Photo Of American, Iranian Olympic Wrestlers Jordan Burroughs, Sadegh Goudarzi Offers Hope

A photograph of wrestlers Jordan Burroughs and Sadegh Goudarzi is being hailed as the single image to encompass the spirit of the Olympics.

Jack Moore of Buzzfeed first posted the image of Burroughs, an American, and Goudarzi, an Iranian, hugging after the New Jersey native beat his Middle Eastern competitor for first place.

"American wrestler Jordan Burroughs defeated Iran's Sadegh Goudarzi in freestyle wrestling to win gold," wrote Moore. "After the match and medal ceremony, Burroughs tweeted this photo."

Who's says Iran and America don't get along? Maybe I should be president! twitter.com/alliseeisgold/…

— Jordan Burroughs (@alliseeisgold) August 11, 2012

Prior to the match, some had high hopes for the America-Iran showdown at the mat.

Benjamin Weinthal of the New York Daily News even paralleled wrestling to the nuclear weapons issue, writing, "What can we learn about nuclear weapons programs through the prism of wrestling? Though wrestling is often associated with martial arts brutality, it is actually a scientific study in how to anticipate your opponent’s behavior and react. Top-caliber wrestling is often marked by an aggressive, methodical patience."

Burroughs and Goudarzi's post-match affection showed, however, that the Olympics is a place for nations to come together.

After all, the Olympics is not about athletes winning gold, but rather about nations meeting in peace for friendly competition.

"The key ethical concept of the Olympic games in ancient Greek terms is called arete. Which means virtue or excellence. It's about trying to be the best you can be as a human being," Heather Reid, the Professor and Chair of Philosophy at Morningside College, previously told KTIV.

"The opening and closing ceremonies are a part of the ancient games too," she told the station. "It is a kind of a special time and place when that flame is lit, we are all supposed to think about our possibilities as human beings and what we can be as a world."

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Comments

[Lexi Chandler]

11:42 PM on 08/15/2012

So, finally some evidence of what the olympics are supposed to represent. Many nations, coming together to compete in friendly competitions, all nations cooperating together and having a time of peace, a chance for peoples from all nations to meet one another and establish friendship; not to mention the celebration of health and athleticism.

Why can't we all see more pictures like this? oh, that's right... We are fighting wars that we don't need to participate in. why can't people of all religions just learn to tolerate one another, and not try to eradicate or degrade other religions? But sadly that is a dream, not a probable reality.

For now we must be happy that there is some hope left for humanity, some decency and purity in the world. we see it here, and we see it everyday as well.

[Sleepers Awake]

12:51 AM on 08/19/2012

The hope for humanity EXISTS everyday, but we don't generally see it in the MSM as hope doesn't sell or generate many clicks. Hate does. "'Tis Sad as Sad Can Be"

[Fletch55]

03:31 PM on 08/15/2012

Then he got home and realised his medal was missing and there was something with wires and a clock stuck to the back of his jacket.

[fredgladys]

02:39 AM on 08/15/2012

Now that photo is what the Olympics is supposed to be about.

[RibEye]

08:57 PM on 08/14/2012

Wrestling is appropriately the Iranian national sport as it is inter wound into Persian history, mythology and heroism . A significant parts of being a Persian wrestling champion are being humble, classy and demonstration of humility. Every wrestler is expected to behave accordingly. Look up the history of GolamReza Takhti.

[RibEye]

09:15 PM on 08/15/2012

Significant parts of....sorry for bad grammer, time was the factor.

[Bg98]

02:38 PM on 08/14/2012

i love the optimism this brings and i wanted to be positive about it, i really did, but after the 1936 Olympics WWII still happened only 3 years later :( sad truth

lets hope we've evolved a buit since then and this picture hopefully DOES go along way to solidify this

[mododavid]

01:46 PM on 08/14/2012

I hope Goudarzi is safe in Iran.

[jeffrideal]

08:12 PM on 08/14/2012

Wrestlers, both Iranian and American, are revered in Iran. Goudarzi lost to Jordan in the finals of the World Championship last year and yes, he appeared at the Olympics. Safe to say, he is ok (not to mention one of the classiest guys out there). I think you are thinking of North Korea.

[JoeBoy254]

01:31 PM on 08/14/2012

Why is the photo such a big deal? The Olympics should be free of any politics and is all for the competition and sport of the participants. Tomorrow they could be killing each other.

[TeeSC]

09:27 PM on 08/14/2012

Should be... but isn't.  I'm pretty sure we can all remember just how "political" the Olympics can be.  

[judgeholden79]

01:00 PM on 08/14/2012

There is no substitute for the still photograph to capture the whole story. Seeing things live in real time gives only a broad overview of the outcome. The small things that the eye cannot capture or that are quickly lost to the memory, the minutinae, is what I find truly interesting.

[Assumed Name]

12:51 PM on 08/14/2012

...all we are saying is give peace a chance.

[snowyegret106]

12:57 PM on 08/14/2012

I agree!

[Demarcus Jackson]

12:47 PM on 08/14/2012

I think it is a lovely picture. It made me smile.

[WellReadAussie2]

08:01 AM on 08/29/2012

Demarcus, I have just a few minutes ago seen this photo, and it made this older bloke feel.....well, very soft indeed.
I love sport, can't play any these days, but I watch for a number of reasons.
And I have just been reminded of one of them.......humanity !
I was actually looking through the sports page for anything about the Paralympics and saw the caption.
I will remember that photo for a long time.
F&F from Sydney

[buzzlikeneon]

12:45 PM on 08/14/2012

this photo "offers hope" for what, exactly? it's just a photo. i doubt they were thinking about politics while trying to pin their opponent. they both just happen to be from disagreeing countries. don't make a big deal out of nothing.

[Cupik]

12:36 PM on 08/14/2012

Absolutely beautiful photo. Iranian films are some of the most beautiful I have watched in terms of story development, characters and editing. We have more in common than not with our Iranian brothers and sisters.

Like in America.......religious zealots, sometimes to concentrate political power, ruin things for everyone.

[TeeSC]

09:29 PM on 08/14/2012

Have you read any books by Iranian authors?  There are several extremely gifted women authors and each one offers an incredibly poignant view of life in Iran.  You should check them out as well.  What are your favorite films?

[Cupik]

10:37 PM on 08/14/2012

I have not except the comic book that my teenager had which has been turned into a movie. Children of Heaven is lovely as well as A Seperation.

[Metacarius]

12:32 PM on 08/14/2012

I see a few posts disparaging the Olympics because of the corporate monster that they see invading it. To them I would say the Olympics happens regardless of whether NBC covers it, advertisers ply their wares, politicians make their boasts, etc. or not. They have confused the wrapping for the gift that is the Olympics. These athaletes are the representatives of the world striving and performing at their very best. Heroes in their own right. Until those disparaging these atheletes put in the same dedication and effort to set themselves up as people that the world can look up to, maybe they should speak a little quieter.

[Jeremy Bursac]

05:56 PM on 08/14/2012

It is US broadcasting rights fees which pay for the Olympics. Period. When the meant-to-be-stirring happy talk is imbued with a heavy dose of denial....

[Metacarius]

01:05 AM on 08/15/2012

That's a very ethnocentric claim. You apparently do not understand the nature of an international event. However, you are correct in part. Broadcasting fees do bring in some money and, no doubt, exclusive broadcasting fees bring in a lot of money. However, I'm sorry to say, we're not that great. We don't make the Olympics happen. I 100% guarantee you that if we pick up our toys and go home, the Olympics will go on just fine without us, with nothing more than a memorable note that the US opted not to participate. The Olympics have been around a lot longer than you or I or NBC for that matter and will likely go on long after we're all dust.

[shelly1954]

12:28 PM on 08/14/2012

This is the way others should treat one another on a regular basis and maybe, just maybe, this world would be a better place to live. Like other comments, let the politicians,radical fanatics, lunatics leaders, greed mongers etc. take the lead and you see how well they have done LOL! God save us all!!!!

[Miami-Michael]

12:25 PM on 08/14/2012

Hey, it's just a nice picture. Don't try to friggin analyze it to death. The article had the right tone - don't try to make more of it or less of it.