# Safi Taha

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**Safi J. Taha** (Arabic: صافي طه; 23 December 1923 – 22 February 2009) was a Lebanese [wrestler](/source/Amateur_wrestling). As a wrestler, he would be one of the first Lebanese Olympians after he had competed at the [1948 Summer Olympics](/source/1948_Summer_Olympics). He would reach the fourth round of the [men's Greco-Roman featherweight division](/source/Wrestling_at_the_1948_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_Greco-Roman_featherweight) but would be eliminated after being defeated. After the 1948 Summer Games, he would compete at the [1950 World Wrestling Championships](/source/1950_World_Wrestling_Championships) and win silver.

Taha would also compete at the [1952 Summer Olympics](/source/1952_Summer_Olympics) but would eventually withdraw in the third round of his event despite leading over the course of it. Later on, he would be awarded the [Order of Merit](/source/Order_of_Merit_(Lebanon)) due to his service in sport. After that, he would move to the United States in 1954 and became a national champion. Later on, he would become a coach in both Lebanon and the United States, eventually coaching the Lebanese wrestling team for the [1961 Pan Arab Games](/source/1961_Pan_Arab_Games).

## Biography

Safi J. Taha was born on 23 December 1923 in [Beirut](/source/Beirut), Lebanon. Stated by [Olympedia](/source/Olympedia), Taha was a top national and international wrestler during the late 1940s and early 1950s. Taha would compete at the [1948 Summer Olympics](/source/1948_Summer_Olympics) in [London](/source/London), Great Britain, representing [Lebanon](/source/Lebanon_at_the_Olympics) in wrestling. This would be Lebanon's first Olympic appearance, making Taha one of the first Lebanese Olympians. His brother, [Khalil Taha](/source/Khalil_Taha), was also a competitive wrestler.[1][2]

He would compete in the [men's Greco-Roman featherweight division](/source/Wrestling_at_the_1948_Summer_Olympics_%E2%80%93_Men's_Greco-Roman_featherweight) from 3 to 6 August 1948. Taha would compete against [Raymond Strasser](/source/Raymond_Strasser) for his first round and would win by [fall](/source/Pin_(sport_wrestling)) in 1:46. Taha would then advance to the second round, defeating [Antoine Merle](/source/Antoine_Merle) by decision, 3–0. He would then lose against [Georg Weidner](/source/Georg_Weidner) in the third round but would advance after his placement was higher than any of the other losing contestants. In the fourth round, he would then be defeated by [Luigi Campanella](/source/Luigi_Campanella), ending Taha's Olympic run at the 1948 Summer Games. He would place equal sixth.[3] After the 1948 Summer Games, he would win a silver medal at the [1950 World Wrestling Championships](/source/1950_World_Wrestling_Championships) in the featherweight category, placing behind wrestler [Olle Anderberg](/source/Olle_Anderberg).[4]

Taha would also compete at the [1952 Summer Olympics](/source/1952_Summer_Olympics) in [Helsinki](/source/Helsinki), Finland, competing in the same event. He would compete until the third round, where he would withdraw from the event despite being in the lead of the event.[5] Later on, Taha had won a gold medal in a tournament in [Istanbul](/source/Istanbul), he would be awarded the [Order of Merit](/source/Order_of_Merit_(Lebanon)) due to his service in sport, in competition and for his efforts to popularize it within the nation.[1]

He would immigrate from Lebanon to the United States in 1954. There, he would win a national title and became a coach in both the United States and Lebanon. As a coach, he would coach the Lebanese wrestling delegation that competed at the [1961 Pan Arab Games](/source/1961_Pan_Arab_Games) and won multiple medals. Taha would later die on 22 February 2009 in [Pompano Beach](/source/Pompano_Beach), United States.[1]

## References

1. ["Safi Taha Biographical Information"](https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/59270). *[Olympedia](/source/Olympedia)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250531060828/https://www.olympedia.org/athletes/59270) 31 May 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 July 2025.

1. ["Lebanon Overview"](https://www.olympedia.org/countries/LBN). *[Olympedia](/source/Olympedia)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250702075157/https://www.olympedia.org/countries/LBN) 2 July 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 July 2025.

1. ["Featherweight, Greco-Roman (≤62 kilograms), Men, 1948"](https://www.olympedia.org/results/122932). *[Olympedia](/source/Olympedia)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250531060828/https://www.olympedia.org/results/122932) 31 May 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 July 2025.

1. ["Taha, Safi"](https://whatsmat.uww.org/daten.php?spid=DEF63AF5BF1A4EE3A21A9A98155FDD49). *[United World Wrestling](/source/United_World_Wrestling)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250531060828/https://whatsmat.uww.org/daten.php?spid=DEF63AF5BF1A4EE3A21A9A98155FDD49) 31 May 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 July 2025.

1. ["Featherweight, Greco-Roman (≤62 kilograms), Men, 1952"](https://www.olympedia.org/results/123543). *[Olympedia](/source/Olympedia)*. [Archived](https://web.archive.org/web/20250531060828/https://www.olympedia.org/results/123543) 31 May 2025 at the Wayback Machine. Retrieved 1 July 2025.

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Safi Taha](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safi_Taha) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Safi_Taha?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.