Anoushiravan Nourian

Anoushiravan Nourian (Persian: انوشیروان نوریان‎; born 25 January 1972) is a retired amateur Iranian-born Australian boxer.[1] He picked up a bronze medal in the welterweight at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, and also competed in two editions of the Olympic Games (1992 and 2004) under different banners. Nourian's career had been overshadowed by a doping controversy in 2000, resulting to a ban from the Iranian boxing team at the Summer Olympics in Sydney and his emigration to Australia, where he later obtained a dual citizenship.[2]

Anoushiravan Nourian
Personal information
Full nameAnoushiravan Nourian
Nationality Iran
 Australia
Born (1972-01-25) 25 January 1972
Tehran, Iran
Height1.65 m (5 ft 5 in)
Weight63 kg (139 lb)
Sport
SportBoxing
Weight classLight welterweight
ClubAustralian Institute of Sport (AUS)
Medal record
Men's boxing
Representing  Iran
Asian Games
1994 Hiroshima 67 kg
West Asian Games
1997 Tehran 67 kg

Nourian made his official debut at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, where he ousted his opening match to Italy's Michele Piccirillo in men's light welterweight division (63.5 kg), receiving a default score 5–23.[3][4] Two years later, Nourian came powerful with a bronze medal on his semifinal match 17–26 against Thailand's Arkhom Chenglai in the welterweight category (70 kg) at the 1994 Asian Games in Hiroshima, Japan.

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Nourian sought his sights to compete for the Iranian team in the light welterweight division (63.5 kg). On 17 September 2000, the International Amateur Boxing Association banned him from the Games after he was tested positive for the steroid nandrolone, permitting his opponent Ajose Olusegun of Nigeria to walk over with an effortless victory in the first round.[5][6][7] As a result, Nourian left the Iranian boxing squad shortly to move to Sydney, Australia, and later became a naturalized citizen in February 2004.[2] Pursuing his sporting career outside of Iran, Nourian trained under the boxing squad for the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra.

Twelve years after his Olympic debut, Nourian qualified for his newly joined Australian squad, as a 32-year-old veteran, in the men's light welterweight division (63.5 kg) at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens. Earlier in the process, he guaranteed a spot on the nation's boxing team after finishing first from the AIBA Oceania Qualification Tournament in Tonga.[8] Unlike his two previous Games, Nourian scored a convincing victory 22–51 over Seychelles' Kitson Julie in the opening round, before losing out his next match to Italy's Michele di Rocco with a decisive 25–33 count.[2][9][10]

References
  1. Evans, Hilary; Gjerde, Arild; Heijmans, Jeroen; Mallon, Bill; et al. "Anoushiravan Nourian". Olympics at Sports-Reference.com. Sports Reference LLC. Archived from the original on 18 April 2020. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  2. "Aussie welterweight goes down in Athens". ABC News Australia. 20 August 2004. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  3. "Barcelona 1992: Boxing – Light welterweight (63.5kg/139lbs) Preliminary Round of 32" (PDF). Barcelona 1992. LA84 Foundation. p. 131. Retrieved 23 May 2014.
  4. "La bouna boxe di Piccirillo" [Piccirillo came strong in boxing] (in Italian). la Repubblica. 31 July 1992. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  5. "Sydney 2000: Boxing – Light Welterweight (63.5kg/139lbs) Preliminary Round of 32" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. p. 92. Retrieved 26 September 2013.
  6. "Iranian boxer expelled". BBC Sport. 17 September 2000. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  7. "Romanian weightlifters, Iranian boxer kicked out". Sydney 2000. Canoe.ca. 17 September 2000. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
  8. "Australia Sweeps Finals". FOX Sports Pulse. 1 May 2004. Retrieved 23 August 2004.
  9. "Boxing: Men's Light Welterweight (63.5 kg/139lbs) Round of 16". Athens 2004. BBC Sport. 15 August 2004. Retrieved 31 January 2013.
  10. "XXVIII Olympic Games in Athens, Greece – Brave Kitson Julie, puts up good fight, but eliminated". Seychelles Nation. 17 August 2004. Retrieved 29 August 2014.
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