One of Iran’s hardline conservatives Mohammad Sadegh Koushki has called on President Ebrahim Raisi to suspend bodybuilding competitions.

His comments come after an incident at Iran's bodybuilding championships, during which Reza Beiranvand, a participant, expressed his protest against the judges by striking pictures of those killed in the Iran-Iraq war with his foot.

Koushki, known for his conservative stance and prior criticisms of athletes, voiced his concerns on his Telegram channel. He deemed bodybuilding competitions “shameful, and a sort of nudity” and asserted, "When the very essence of a competition contradicts ethical values, it is only natural that such events may lead to disrespect for martyrs." Addressing President Raisi, he questioned the issuance of permits for these competitions and the absence of preventive measures.

On the other hand, Amirhossein Ghazi-Zadeh Hashemi, the head of the Martyrs Foundation, condemned Beiranvand's actions, describing them as "disrespectful behavior towards the images of martyrs." He called on the Minister of Sports to take appropriate action against the athlete.

Abdolmahdi Nasirzadeh, the head of the Bodybuilding Federation also offered insights into the incident, saying, "Beiranvand's actions stemmed from his frustration with the judges' decisions, although he was unaware that he was kicking images of martyrs. Upon realizing his mistake, he promptly issued an apology."

In response, the disciplinary committee of the Bodybuilding Federation swiftly imposed a two-year ban on Beiranvand and another protesting bodybuilder, Kianoush Khorramipour, who also expressed dissatisfaction with the judges' decisions during the competition.