The Record Holder's Stand: Why a Sporting Icon Became a Moral Compass

His principled stance was met with immediate and harsh reprisal from the authorities. His passport was confiscated, his family was targeted, and his businesses were temporarily shut down—clear acts of intimidation aimed at silencing Iran’s most universally respected figure. The closing of his stores in Tehran, while intended as punishment, backfired spectacularly, solidifying the narrative of Daei as a sacrificial hero who chose the suffering of his people over his own security and wealth.