Asian Boys’ U18 Volleyball Championship:
Iran coach cites nutrition concerns despite perfect run in China
Iran head coach Abdolreza Alizadeh has revealed that his players have struggled with nutrition during the AVC Boys’ U18 Volleyball Championship in Haikou, China, saying several members of the squad have lost weight because they have been unable to adapt to the local cuisine.
Alizadeh made the comments after Iran completed a flawless group-stage campaign with a straight-set victory (25-12, 25-18, 25-14) over Bahrain on Tuesday to finish atop Pool B and book its place in the quarterfinals.
Iran will face South Korea in the quarterfinals after the Koreans were beaten in straight sets by Japan later on Tuesday.
Despite the team’s impressive form on the court, Alizadeh said off-court conditions have presented significant challenges, with nutrition emerging as Iran’s biggest concern.
“The most important problem for our team in China has been nutrition,” he said. “The players cannot eat much of the local food, and most of them have lost weight.”
Alizadeh also pointed to organizational issues at the tournament venue.
The host has divided the competition hall into two courts, allowing two matches to be played simultaneously inside the same arena. While praising the quality and size of the venue, the Iranian coach said the setup has made it difficult for players to maintain their concentration.
“The arena is large and of very good quality, but holding two matches at the same time creates problems for the teams,” Alizadeh said.
“The noise from the adjacent court is distracting, and sometimes the referee’s whistle from the neighboring match interrupts the flow of our game.”
He added that the issue becomes even more noticeable when host nation China is in action.
“These problems affect all teams,” he said. “Players at this age need a high level of concentration, and it is difficult to maintain that under these conditions. It is especially challenging when China is playing because the crowd noise from the neighboring court becomes very loud.”
Iran is chasing a record-extending eighth title in the competition—its first in 12 years after finishing runner-up to Japan and China in the 2022 and 2024 editions, respectively.
The four semifinalists will qualify for the 2027 FIVB Boys’ U19 World Championship.