Press Conference of Sports Officials in Yazd and the President of the Volleyball Federation

A press conference attended by officials from the Volleyball Federation and the Yazd Sports Department was held tonight (Saturday, September 17) at the Moshir al-Mamalek Hotel in Yazd.

According to the communications department of the Volleyball Federation, the 26th Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship will commence tomorrow (Sunday, September 18) in Yazd.

During the press conference, Seyed Milad Taghavi, President of the Volleyball Federation expressed his gratitude to the Yazd officials for their efforts in organizing this tournament.

He stated, “I hope this tournament marks the beginning of a progressive movement for volleyball in Iran. The determination of local officials has shown that the notion of restricting volleyball to a few provinces is not true, as Yazd is one of the influential provinces in advancing Iranian volleyball.”

Taghavi emphasized that organizing such a significant event required collective effort and thanked Mr. Sharafat for being the most important part of organizing this event, also remembering the governor who worked hard for this cause.

He noted, “If everyone hadn’t been on board, this monumental task wouldn’t have been accomplished. It is evident from the Asia Federation observer’s report that one of the best hosting conditions has been established.”

Regarding volleyball and the activities of Shahdab, he remarked, “Volleyball is a game of moments. Decisions must be made instantly as the ball is played. Therefore, predicting results is not easy. It is believed that Shahdab is on the right track due to its cohesive management team.”

On the participation of women in attending matches in Yazd, he mentioned that a significant portion of the venue has been allocated to them. “I hope women will assist the federation and overall organization by adhering to various regulations. There are limited tickets available for women, and we must pay attention to all aspects. I would have liked the governor to be present at this meeting so that I could request the construction of a larger-capacity hall. Overall, necessary measures have been taken for women’s attendance, and we look forward to serving them.”

In response to a question about the potential presence of the national team’s head coach and technical staff at the Yazd tournament, Taghavi said, “The selection of the head coach was much quicker than in previous years. I do not believe in lengthy processes; discussions for selecting a coach began before the Olympics, although its impact was less before the Olympics and more pronounced afterward.”

He continued, “Many individuals listed in the national team list are not currently in the country, so there is no necessity for the head coach’s presence in Yazd. Moreover, in this age of communication, all necessary information has been sent to and will be received by the head coach.”

When asked about Shahdab’s most serious competitor, he replied, “The most important competitor is Shahdab itself. Although we have Sirjan with its star players participating in this tournament and we should not forget the Indonesian representative who has competed with global volleyball elites. However, I believe Shahdab is one of the contenders. I heard that Shahdab had a challenging match against the Iraqi representative, which confirms the unpredictability of results in volleyball.”

Regarding the Promise of Hosting International Age-Group Competitions in Yazd, he stated, “this is just beginning this hosting journey, and it will start tomorrow. The expectation is that this will be one of the best hosting experiences, and I hope it will be so. I promise that if this level of collaboration continues, the federation will support you in securing the hosting of international age-group competitions.”

However, he emphasized an important point: “We must not place all the hosting responsibilities on one person’s shoulders. If that happens, we will not see successful hosting in the future. Today, this has been achieved through collective effort, but I cannot guarantee that it will remain the same going forward.”

He expressed his belief that hosting is a collaborative endeavor, stating, “I do not play a significant role because it is a team effort. Therefore, the success in securing hosting is a result of the unity among all members of this family. The better each individual performs their role, the better the overall outcome will be.”

Taghavi commented on the ticket sales and system issues, stating: “In my view, this is an opportunity. Over 103,000 people visited the site in a short period, which is a significant event. Of course, we need to think about the infrastructure to prevent such issues in the future, but overall, it was a great opportunity for volleyball and Yazd. I hope we won’t face such challenges in the upcoming matches.”

The President of the Volleyball Federation discussed the costs associated with hosting the tournament, stating: “The total expenses for this event across various categories exceed several billion tomans. However, the infrastructure will remain in Yazd for many years to come. Importantly, the funding for this event comes from the national budget, and if we hadn’t secured the hosting, this budget would not have been available.”

Regarding the withdrawal of some teams from participation, he noted: “If you look at the history of these tournaments, teams from East Asia have generally participated less. The reasons behind the withdrawal of three teams should be viewed in light of the soft war waged by adversaries. Hosting in Yezd serves as a confirmation of the security of Iran, and enemies have sought to undermine this by providing non-sporting reasons for their withdrawal.”

In conclusion, he remarked: “It is logical that there are some weaknesses in hosting in Yazd; however, there are many positive aspects that can be addressed and resolved through teamwork. With the efforts of officials, I hope the people will see a light of hope. The officials at Shahdab have invested significant resources, and I hope that the public will be satisfied with the organization of these competitions and that they will conclude successfully.”

“Upgrading Three Halls for Hosting Competitions”

Zoheir Haji Hosseini, Director General of Sports and Youth in Yazd Province, also expressed gratitude to the media and welcomed the managers and officials from the federation during a press conference for the Asian Men’s Club Volleyball Championship 2024. He stated: “Since last February, Yazd has been working tirelessly through negotiations between Shahdab Club and the Ministry of Sports to secure this hosting opportunity. With the support of local authorities and collaboration with Shahdab Club, this positive development for Yazd has materialized.”

He highlighted the extensive efforts made to ensure a suitable hosting environment for these competitions, saying: “This tournament is one of the most prestigious sporting events for Yazd at an international level, and we hope to host it well.”

Haji Hosseini referred to Yazd’s hosting of the Fajr Badminton Cup last year and emphasized that one critical aspect for hosting this event was securing the necessary infrastructure. He explained that organizing the tournament required three halls, and efforts were made to meet the federation’s requirements.

He specified: ” Shahediyeh Sports Complex will serve as the main court for the tournament, along with two other courts: Shahid Sadooghi Sports Complex and Abshahi Sports Hall. Over 25 billion tomans were allocated from national funds for equipping these halls within a period of two and a half months. After renovations and upgrades, these facilities have been handed over to the event organizers.”

He also noted that preparations for these sports halls coincided with other sports projects, including upgrading Shahid Nasiri Stadium for hosting Premier League football matches. He added: “Simultaneously, 40 other sports projects were pursued by the Sports and Youth Department, and all these efforts were realized through teamwork and collaboration in the province.”

The Director General expressed hope that Yazd would continue to be a good host for international events as in the past, viewing such events as valuable opportunities to showcase the culture, civilization, and capacities of cities, provinces, and the country. He concluded: “We hope that through these hosting opportunities, we can achieve our ultimate goal of familiarizing at least one billion people worldwide with Yazd. Moreover, these events will play a significant role in countering anti-Iran sentiments propagated by adversaries.”

“We Will Strive to Keep the Trophy in Yazd”

Amir Sharafat, the CEO of Shahdab Cultural and Sports Club, highlighted the significance of hosting this international event in Yazd for the first time and outside the capital. He stated, “Starting tomorrow, this tournament will feature the eight top teams from Asia, including two Iranian teams. We will witness four matches daily across the groups over the course of three days.”

He noted that all matches would be broadcast live on Varzesh Media and expressed hope that after three months of tireless efforts to prepare for these competitions and readying three sports halls in the province for international hosting, Yazd would provide a worthy and fitting venue for the tournament.

Regarding Shahdab’s chances of winning this tournament, despite facing renowned players such as Jean Patry and Ngapeth, he remarked, “Although these individuals have achieved Olympic medals in this sport for the second time, and some are referred to as the ‘Messi of Volleyball,’ it is important to remember that volleyball is a team sport.”

Sharafat pointed out the challenging match Shahdab faces against Jakarta’s team from Indonesia on the first day of the games. He mentioned, “Shahdab’s training began on July 9, and despite financial constraints faced by the club, we have made efforts to recruit prominent players from our country to keep the trophy in Yazd. Fortunately, the team is in good condition.”

The CEO expressed optimism that, given that two teams from Asia will participate in global competitions this year, Shahdab would first aim to reach the finals and subsequently strive for victory in the tournament.