ATHENS, Greece -- He advanced easily past the two-time world champion, but absent of glory and not in the fashion Ehud Vaks imagined as a young boy studying the exotic art of judo. The Israeli wanted to face Arash Miresmaeili of Iran on the mat, in an honorable bout, for five minutes of grabbing and kicking and tripping. He wanted his shot at a famous upset.

Instead, Miresmaeili defaulted by purposely stuffing his own face, and Vaks was curled into a squat Sunday in a back corridor of Ano Liossia Olympic Hall, hands around his head, face hidden, sobbing quietly. He was not crying so much for himself, but for Miresmaeili and the Olympics.

Reality had intruded on Olympic fiction, on the false notion that nothing out there matters inside these security fences. The Summer Games will never be the secluded, cuddly place of Jacques Rogge's quaint proclamations. Even here, it is still about Jew versus Arab, about the Palestinian question, about Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's aggressive policies, about Arab terrorism, about primordial grudges.

Vaks received a walkover into the second round -- because his opponent didn't want to fight him, or wasn't allowed to fight him. The distinction was blurred, but the animosity was crystal clear.

"This was not the way I wanted to win," said Vaks, a 25-year-old English student who lives in a Tel Aviv suburb. "Sport is more than two people fighting judo. I felt horrible for him. It's hard enough imagining the feeling when you lose. This is worse. Not even to let you fight? It's a small world in judo. I admire (Miresmaeili). If he had a choice, he would have fought."

Miresmaeili was the Iranian flag bearer here and the clear favorite for gold in the 146-pound division. His own dream, it says on his official biography, was to become Olympic champion. Then the brackets were drawn and Miresmaeili was scheduled to face Vaks in the first round.

No Iranian athlete has competed against an Israeli athlete since the Islamic revolution 25 years ago. In 2001, Iranian judoka Hamed Malekmohammadi refused to fight against Yoel Razvozov of Israel.

We will never know what Miresmaeili really felt when he first saw those brackets, when he understood that his Olympics were finished before they started. Reports spread that Miresmaeili had withdrawn, but such an action would have meant automatic penalties for the Iranian Federation and the judoka.

Instead, Iranian officials told the International Judo Federation that Miresmaeili would fight. Then Miresmaeili showed up yesterday morning with his coach, came in over the weight limit and was disqualified in more conventional fashion.

"It's not hard to do," Vaks said. "We are always fighting weight, like wrestlers."

The Iranian press agency IRNA quoted Miresmaeili as saying: "I refused to play against an Israeli rival to sympathize with the oppressed Palestinian people."

The judo federation will consider sanctions against Iran today. Meanwhile, Vaks was defeated in the second round by Amar Meridja, an Algerian Muslim. With 30 seconds left in a tied bout, Meridja scored a yuku, a takedown, for 10 decisive points. Vaks' Olympics were done, too, but not like Miresmaeili's.

"You see the Algerian?" said Yaron Michaeli, the Israeli team press officer, admiringly. "He does what he has to do."

There were unconfirmed reports in the Israeli camp that Miresmaeili will receive $150,000 from the Iranian government for his action, the same amount he would have been awarded if he'd won the gold medal.

Miresmaeili likely would have knocked the tar out of his Israeli opponent, seemingly a great public and moral triumph for Iran. But that was not what his federation wanted, because his participation would imply the recognition of Israel.

"I don't think they have a right not to recognize us," Vaks said. "Israel is a democracy. Iran is not. They tell me not to talk about politics, but sports is always linked to politics."

He's right about that last part. Over the years, the International Olympic Committee banished South Africa, and then Yugoslavia and Turkish Cyprus. The list goes on. Some of these penalties are effective in spurring social change. Politics is the elephant in the room every time the IOC convenes.

Vaks had worked desperately for these Games, as they all do. He recovered from a car accident last November, from surgery for the removal of his spleen that tore apart his abdominal muscles. Miresmaeili trained hard, too, Vaks was quite certain.

"It's not my fault. It's not my country's fault," Vaks said. "I don't think we need to have a quarrel. The next Olympics is better, I hope."

Then he was in a ball, holding his head with his hands.