Years of training for the World Championships will have to wait for former ISU wrestler Cael Sanderson, assistant coach Chris Bono and the rest of the U.S. freestyle wrestling team.

The USA Wrestling executive committee chose not to compete at the wrestling World Championships in Tehran, Iran on Sept. 5-7 due to safety concerns. USA Wrestling president Stan Dziedzic said the U.S. government relayed information to them that the Iranian government could not guarantee the safety and protection of the wrestlers.

“I got a call on Saturday from coach [Kevin] Jackson and he said that we got a red light and a threat,” said ISU coach Bobby Douglas, who was the head coach for the world team. “They followed that call with a conference call and the committee voted unanimously.”

Douglas, who also coached the 1992 U.S. Olympic freestyle wrestling team, said he is in “total agreement” with the decision.

He said the wrestlers wanted to go to compete, but no one wanted to be a target of opportunity for terrorists.

“I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if something had happened,” he said.

Douglas said the wrestlers have broken hearts, especially due to the events of Sept. 11. He said the terrorist attacks gave the wrestlers added motivation to make a statement.

Bono said he thought the U.S. team had a legitimate chance for a gold medal.

“I’m very upset and heart broken, because I’m not going to get to go and compete and try to earn the gold medal,” Bono said. “We were real prepared to go there and compete in the hostile environment. We felt strong and we felt like we could go in and compete for the gold.”

Douglas agreed. He said the preparation he saw for the World Championships was unprecedented.

“They prepared themselves in a way that I’ve never ever seen them prepare,” Douglas said. “We have to stand down, but we’ll stand proud. We’ll get our chance to come back.”

For Sanderson, it was the second time in as many years that his path to a World Championship has hit a roadblock.

Last year, the World Championships were moved from New York to Bulgaria following the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. Attempts to reach four-time national champion were unsuccessful.

Bono said he spoke to him Sunday, but said they didn’t discuss the decision very much.

Next year’s World Championships are set for September in New York City.

“I have mixed emotions,” Bono said. “…But we’re alive and at the end of the day, I get to go home and see my wife and kid. Safety was the main concern.”

– Daily staff writer Emily Arthur and the Associated Press contributed to this story.