Volleyball can become popular as football: Salehi Amiri

TEHRAN – President of National Olympic Committee (NOC) of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Reza Salehi Amiri, said that volleyball can become popular as football in Iran.

Salehi Amiri, who was accompanied by Nasrollah Sajjadi, Chef de Mission for the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Summer Games, and Olympic gold medal winner Behdad Salimi, visited Iran Volleyball Federation headquarters in Tehran on Sunday.
“Sociologically, I believe that volleyball can shine in the future and it could become popular as football in Iran,” Salehi Amiri said.
Praising volleyball president Mohammadreza Davarzani as founder of modern volleyball in Iran, Salehi Amiri said, “I am sure Iran can shine on the Olympic stage and stay among the world’s powerhouse teams. Davarzani is well aware of what the federation needs to be successful.”
Salehi Amiri also is sure the re-arranged Tokyo 2020 Olympics will take place next year.
“A coronavirus vaccine could be coming later this year and it will help the organizers to hold the Games. Japanese people have resumed their normal life after the coronavirus lockdown and it means that the Games to be held successfully next year.”

Davarzani, on the sideline of the meeting, emphasized that Iran volleyball are ready to be among the top four teams in the Olympic Games.
Iran made history in 2016, booking a place at the Olympic Games for the first time as the top ranked Asian team. The “Persian Leopards” finished at the fifth place in the Games. Now, the head of Iran volleyball federation says that they want a better place in Tokyo.
“Now, we are focusing on finding a new head coach for the National Team. We have both foreign and Iranian option for the team and will announce his name at the appropriate time,” Davarzani said.