Two Iranian Athletes Sentenced to Prison in South Korean Rape Case

A South Korean appeals court has upheld the sentences of two Iranian athletes accused of raping a South Korean woman, confirming four years in prison for each of them.

According to South Korean media, the appeals court hearing was held on Wednesday, June 10, where judges, after reviewing the case, upheld the four-year prison sentences for two of the defendants. The other two defendants in the case were acquitted and may return to Iran.

The case arose during the 2025 Asian Athletics Championships held in South Korea. Initial reports indicated that two athletes and one Iranian coach had been arrested on charges of sexually assaulting a South Korean woman, but South Korean media later reported the arrest of another suspect, bringing the total number of defendants to three athletes and one coach.

Yonhap News TV had previously reported that the case was filed following a complaint by a South Korean woman alleging “gang rape” by members of the Iranian delegation.

The issuance and confirmation of these sentences come even though Ehsan Haddadi, president of Iran’s Athletics Federation, had claimed in early June that all athletes and coaches detained in the case had been acquitted and would soon return to Iran.

However, the appeals court ruling makes clear that two of the defendants must still serve their four-year sentences in South Korea.