After a 7.3-magnitude earthquake left at least 452 people dead in his home country on Sunday, Iran’s Olympic weightlifting champion Kianoush Rostami has launched a fundraising effort of gold medal proportions.
The quake, which struck a remote area along the border of Iran and Iraq was said to be felt as far away as Turkey and Pakistan.
Desperate to help those affected by the disaster, Rostami decided to “return the gold medal,” which he won at the 2016 Summer games in Rio de Janeiro, to his people by auctioning it off. The proceeds will be used to help earthquake victims.