“Arash Mirasmaili” In an interview with IRNA regarding the participation of Iran’s men’s and women’s judo teams in the games of Islamic countries, he said: Our conditions are difficult compared to other disciplines, because Iranian judokas are participating in a heavy event after a long time.
He added: We in the federation, as well as the members of the technical staff, organized the camps as regularly and regularly as possible using appropriate facilities. The people who were in the camp also received salaries and our effort was to provide suitable conditions for judo men and women.
Mirasmaili said: The final camp of the men’s team is being held in Kish, and our friends in the Kish Free Zone, the Judo team and the physical training team of Kish Island worked hard. Women also follow the final stage of training in Anzali, which fortunately, the judo team has provided the best facilities.
According to his announcement, the Iranian judo teams will leave for Konya on August 19, and the individual judo competitions of the Islamic countries games will be held on the 24th and 25th of this month, and the team fights will be held on the 26th.
The head of the Judo Federation said: We tried hard to have a foreign camp for women, which unfortunately was not provided, but we brought a prominent female trainer from Croatia to Iran who supervised the training for 11 days. The men’s team also had several foreign camps and competitions.
He said: “A lot of effort was done and we hope for each and every Iranian judoka in Konya.” We have young and promising teams. Of course, we have an unequal war because other teams participating in the games of Islamic countries have had many foreign camps and competitions, but Iranian judokas can present good fights on the tatami with their zeal.
Mirasmaili stated: They wanted to disappoint us and some did not like us to show up in Konya and were saddened by the decision to send the Iranian team. Fortunately, the efforts of the country’s sports bodies and the federation paid off, and the president of the world federation also wanted the Iranian team to be present in Konya, and the agreement was announced.
Regarding the suspension of Iran’s judo and the prolongation of the Supreme Court of Sports announcement, he said: We are waiting for the announcement of the verdict on the second of September. We sent a letter of protest as to why the announcement of the vote was postponed seven times. We had negotiations with international officials, and if the vote is in our favor, everything will return to normal, otherwise, we will have direct negotiations with the World Federation again.
The head of the World Federation said: “Whatever happens, the Iranian team will participate in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, because even if the suspension remains, on September 20 of next year, the four-year ban will end, and the Asian Games will be held in October next year.” So there is no problem to send to Hangzhou. After that, in order for our judokas not to get away from the Olympic quota, they should participate in competitions with ranking points to get a quota.
He further thanked the members of the technical staff, psychologists and bodybuilders of the national judo team and added: We tried to provide good conditions, and fortunately, the national team members are also satisfied with the facilities. I told the guys that we don’t look at the result because our conditions are not comparable to our opponents, but the effort to fight and the good performance they will show in judo is valuable and important to us. We have done our duty and whatever God wants will happen.
Regarding the upcoming elections of the National Olympic Committee, Mirasmaili said: I hope the intention of the friends in the National Olympic Committee is to hold the elections earlier and at the announced time. All of us sportsmen are concerned about the organization so that the status of the committee can be determined. This election is decisive for sports because next year the Asian Games and then the Olympics are ahead.
He said: I sincerely hope that the intention is to hold it and I hope that the assembly will make its own decision. I believe that the committee should be in the hands of sportsmen. Now several champions are present as the head of the federation and the Ministry of Sports is also managed by a sports director. With all the respect I have for politicians and other people who have been in sports for many years, I must say that Iran’s sports has reached intellectual maturity and wants sports thinking to dominate the Olympic Committee.