Referee: We are still looking for the realization of volleyball’s Olympic goals – Mehr news agency Iran and world’s news
According to Mehr reporter from Hangzhou, Mohammadreza Davarzani, head of the volleyball federation, said after the Iranian national team’s victory in the 2022 Asian Games: “Congratulations to the people of Iran for the third gold medal in the Asian Games.” This is among the records that have not happened in the sports of the country. We became the runner-up in 2010, and in 2014, 2018, and this year, we won the gold medal and scored a hat trick, as you journalists say. Considering the position of volleyball in Asia and the world, the future of volleyball in the country is a good future. The national volleyball team has changed generations and the young players of our country have a bright future ahead of them. People should be sure that the path taken by the national volleyball team in the last 2 years has a bright future. With the good investment we have made in volleyball in different age groups and they are the supports of the national team. The youth of this region have proven that wherever they are noticed, they have something to say. After the Olympics, we beat Japan in Japan, and in the Hangzhou Asian Games, Iran’s name was placed above the names of China and Japan, which is an honor for Iranian volleyball.
Reacting to the burden that this championship took off the shoulders of Iranian volleyball, he added: “People did not expect us to lose to Japan in the Asian Championship in Urmia, and they were upset.” But the championship of the Asian Games made people look positively at volleyball, which can promise a good future.
Regarding the travel route of the national volleyball team until reaching Brazil to participate in the Olympic selection, the referee said: The children left Hangzhou for Shanghai and from there they will leave for Dubai. 19 players from Hangzhou and 6 players from Tehran will go to Brazil. Our first match in the Olympic qualifier is against Germany. The children have 7 games in the Olympic selection and what is important for us in these games are the points that are exchanged during these competitions. We have to get good points in Brazil. Of course, this does not mean that we are disappointed to get a direct Olympic quota. Children are full of motivation. It is true that the teams of Brazil, Italy, Germany, Cuba, Qatar and Ukraine are present in the Olympic qualifiers and all have something to say, but all the efforts of the children and the staff is to not lose too many negative points and gain positive points in order to qualify. maintain itself in the world ranking between 9 and 11 until the League of Nations in 2024.
The head of the volleyball federation continued: We have 12 games in the League of Nations next year. From the three groups present in the Olympic selection, the top 2 teams of each group will directly advance to the Olympics. As the host, France has won the quota (in each gender group), one quota belongs to the African continent and 4 other quotas remain. The countries that are left are competing for the top 4 spots, and I think the competition will be between maybe 6 teams.
The referee said: Currently, Iranian volleyball has succeeded in obtaining the Olympic quota in terms of its position in the world ranking, but it must maintain its position and climb one or two places in the ranking for greater security. For this reason, the effort of the staff and players is to maintain its position in the 10th or 11th place in the world ranking in order to win the Olympic quota and experience its third appearance in the Olympics. Of course, this does not mean that our goal is only to win the Olympic quota. We are trying to fix the shortcomings of the team. We are still looking for the same goal and ideal that we have defined before (being among the top 4 Olympic teams).
It should be noted that the Iranian national volleyball team is in the first group of the Olympic-Brazil qualifying competition with the teams of Brazil (host), Italy, Iran, Cuba, Ukraine, Germany, the Czech Republic and Qatar.
The Olympic qualifying competitions in the men’s group will be held from October 8 to 16.