Iran gearing up in last-ditch quest for place in Paris
The volleyball contests of the Olympic Games in Paris might be some 10 weeks away but it is fair to say that Iran’s adventure of the showdown with the best in the game is right around the corner.
As if the Asian powerhouse – yet to secure a place in Paris – needed more reasons to go all out for success in the upcoming Volleyball Nations League, the remaining tickets for the French capital will be on the line when the preliminary round of the annual event gets underway on May 21.
With Germany, Brazil, Poland, Canada, USA, and Japan having already joined host France, and Egypt likely to take the African slot, only four Olympic 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 head to Paris, with Iran lagging behind in the 15th place.
New Brazilian head coach Mauricio Motta Paes arrived in Tehran two weeks ago to embark on a new chapter for the Iranian national team, following a dreadful run under former coach Behrouz Ataei.
Ataei’s side finished third from bottom in the VNL 16-team table last year and then failed to seal the Olympic berth in last October’s qualification tournament in Rio de Janeiro, during which the Iranian stepped down from his role in the aftermath of a defeat against the Czech Republic.
Iran will be back in the Brazilian city for Week 1 of the Nations League, starting with an encounter against Serbia in what could already be a crunch opener for both teams in their quest for the Paris ticket.
Reigning world champion Italy – stunned by Germany and Cuba in the Olympic qualifiers – is second on the fixtures list, with Cuba and Argentina also coming Iran’s way in Brazil.
“The first week of action will be like a world war for Iran, as we will face two of our direct opponents for the Olympic quota,” prolific outside hitter Milad Ebadipour, who is back in the Iranian squad after a reported feud with the former coach and some of his teammates last year, said during a training session.
The Iranian captain still remains “confident” ahead of the VNL campaign despite “tough circumstances in a last-ditch effort to clinch the Olympic spot.”
“Some of us did not have much time to train with the rest of the squad but we’re not looking for excuses. We’re all here for one goal and that is to make our people happy and proud,” said the Ural Ufa player, who was among the late additions to the squad due to his club commitment.
Paes, meanwhile, has had to cope with the absence of some key players in the opening days of his new job.
Middle-blockers Ali-Asghar Mojarrad and Ali Shafiei have been ruled out of the Nations League with injuries, while integral duo Seyyed Mohammad Mousavi and Amir Ghafour decided to withdraw from international duty.
Paes, however, shrugged off the veteran pair’s decision in his first press conference in Iran, saying: “I don’t think the absence of star players would make much of a difference as the important thing will be to build a decent squad. Many of these players were part of the team over the past two years but the results were still not good enough.”
“It is important for all members of the squad to play with their hearts and if a player does not buy into our project, he would better be away from the team,” added Paes.
“Everyone knows that Iran has top-notch players, especially in the age-group levels. The mission ahead of us is surely a daunting one but I feel optimistic about steering the team toward that goal,” Paes said.
The VNL fixtures will come thick and fast in the coming weeks, as Paes’s men will visit Fukuoka to take on the Pool 3 host Japan on June 4, before matches against Brazil, Bulgaria, and the VNL debutant Turkey in Week 2.
The final week of the preliminary round – starting June 18 in Manila – will see Iran play USA, the Netherlands, France, and Germany.
The top seven in the table after three rounds of fixtures will be joined by the VNL Finals host Poland in the quarterfinals in Lodz on June 27.