Brazilian Motta Paes named Iran volleyball head coach
Brazilian Mauricio Motta Paes was appointed as the head coach of Iran’s men’s national volleyball team, the governing body of the sport in the country announced on Wednesday.
A former number two to fellow-Brazilian Bernardo Rezende on France bench in 2021 and 2022, The 60-year-old coach replaces Behrouz Ataei, who stepped down from his role in the aftermath of a 3-1 defeat against the Czech Republic midway through last October’s FIVB Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Rio de Janeiro, where Iran finished second from bottom in the eight-team table of Pool A and failed to secure direct qualification for the Paris Olympics.
The announcement ends months of speculations and rumors surrounding the national team, during which several names – including former Iranian captain and world-class setter Saeid Ma’rouf, high-profile Belgian Vital Heynen, as well as Italian Gianlorenzo Blengini – had been lined up by the federation for the job ahead of the Volleyball Nations League – starting May 21 – which will serve as the final phase of the Olympic qualifiers.
The Brazilian’s contract will be valid until the end of the volleyball competitions of the Olympic Games in August, the federation’s caretaker Vahid Moradi said on Wednesday, adding it could be extended until the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
Currently in charge of the Ukrainian club Epicentr-Podolyany, Motta Paes worked as an assistant to ex-France head coach Philippe Blain at the 2009 FIVB World League before he was part of the Brazil coaching staff at the annual competition between 2011 and 2017.
As a head coach, Motta Paes steered his country to a silver medal at the 2015 Pan American Games, while lifting numerous domestic trophies during a four-year spell with Japanese club Panasonic Panthers.
His toughest job to date, however, will probably come in the upcoming VNL event, where he will be facing a mammoth task to lead the Asian powerhouse to the Games in the French capital.
With Germany, Brazil, Poland, Canada, USA, and Japan having already joined host France, and Egypt likely to take the African slot for the Olympics, only four quotas remain up for grabs, which will be decided through the FIVB Ranking by the end of the VNL preliminary round on June 23.
As it stands in the ranking, third-placed Italy, Argentina (sixth), Slovenia (seventh), and Serbia (ninth) are the favorites to punch the Paris ticket, with Iran lagging behind in the 15th place.
Iran will be back in Rio de Janeiro for the start of its VNL campaign, squaring off against Serbia, Italy, Cuba, and Argentina.
Iran will then visit the Japanese city of Fukuoka for Week 2 to take on the host, Brazil, Bulgaria, and newcomer Turkey.
The final week of the preliminary round will see Iran play USA, the Netherlands, France, and Germany in Manila, Philippines.
The top seven of the 16-team table of the preliminary phase will join host Poland in the VNL Finals in Lodz from June 27-30.