Iranian Olympian to auction his gold medal

By Colin Sallee

Published: Nov 20, 2017, 6 AM

26-year-old Olympic gold medalist Kianoush Rostami is auctioning off his 2016 weightlifting gold medal in hopes to raise money for his native country of Iran, which was recently devasted by a 7.3 magnitude earthquake.

Image courtesy of iStock/Getty

In the wake of Iran’s devastating earthquake Sunday, Nov. 12, that killed at least 530 people, one of that nation’s top athletes is doing his best to assist with recovery efforts.

Kianoush Rostami, a 26-year-old Olympic gold medalist, is auctioning his 2016 weightlifting gold medal, in hopes of raising significant funds that could be used to help his home country bounce back, particularly the Kermanshah Province, which saw several villages totally leveled on Sunday evening.

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In total, the quake is said to have destroyed over 30,000 homes, while causing severe damage in a handful of northern and western provinces in both Iran and Iraq.

According the Forbes, the monetary value of a Rio 2016 gold medal is $564 in U.S. funds. It is uncertain how much the medal might bring when auctioned.

Aid hasn’t been swift, as hundreds of thousands are currently freezing, and lack water, food and other basic resources.

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