Houshang Montazeralzohour

As a student at the University of Tehran, Houshang Montazeralzohour studied German, but financial difficulties forced him to complete his studies at the University of Isfahan, where he changed his focus to history and education. At both institutions he practiced wrestling and, after winning a national championship, he was selected to represent Iran at the 1976 Montreal Olympics. There, he competed in the middleweight, Greco-Roman tournament, where he was eliminated in round two.

After the 1979 Iranian Revolution, Montazeralzohour began working as a wrestling coach at the University of Isfahan, and soon became the institution’s general director of physical education. In August 1981, he earned another national title, this time in the light-heavyweight division. Two days later, however, he was arrested and tortured for nearly two months, before being executed. He had been charged with insurrection against the government, although few specifics were made available to the public.