By Debra Rich Gettleman

Okay, we’ve all played team sports. We’ve all shaken hands after winning or losing a big game. We watch professional ball players congratulate winning teams with tears in their eyes. It’s called “sportsmanship.”

We even punish our kids when they tip over the Sorry board in a tantrum after a grueling family match. It’s just how it’s done.

Unless you’re the Iranian government.

This week, Iranian weightlifter Mostafa Rajaei was banned for the rest of his life from professional weightlifting by the regime in Tehran for shaking hands with an Israeli competitor at an event in Poland.

According to the Islamic Republic News Agency, Rajaei recently shook hands with Israeli weightlifter Maksim Svirsky as they stood at the medal podium at a World Masters championship in Wieliczka, in the Krakow metropolitan area.

Seriously? How petty can a country be? I mean, sure, Iran openly declares themselves the sworn enemy of the Jewish state. But what’s the big deal of a handshake after a Full Nelson, a Real Naked Choke, or a Figure-Four leglock?

And why is there no comment from the illustrious World Wrestling Entertainment or the National Wrestling Alliance? I haven’t heard a peep from ass whooping Stone Cold Steve Austin or Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.

If we really want to see peace in the world, it has to start here. I suggest we put the entire Iranian nation in some sort of global penalty box until they’re ready to put on their big boy/girl pants and play nicely.