Taekwondo Federation election annulled in preliminary court ruling
The election of the Iranian Taekwondo Federation, which saw Hadi Saei voted in as chairman of the sport’s national governing body for a second consecutive term in May, has been annulled in a preliminary ruling by the country’s Administrative Justice Court, although the federation’s current leadership remains in place pending an appeal.
The federation’s electoral assembly was held on May 11, with Saei, the most decorated Iranian in the history of the Olympic Games with two golds and one bronze, securing enough votes from members to retain the presidency. However, candidates Fariborz Asgari and Majid Nayyeri subsequently filed complaints against the Ministry of Sport and Youth Affairs, challenging aspects of the election process and, in particular, the approval of Saei’s candidacy.
The 45th Branch of the Administrative Justice Court has now ruled to annul the election, according to Iranian media reports. The ruling, however, is not final and can be challenged through the appeals process.
Asgari and Nayyeri were among 10 final candidates for the presidency, alongside Asghar Rahimi, Yousef Karami, Ali Nouri, Hossein Hosseinzadeh, Ahmad Larijani, Sirous Rezaei, Seyyed Hossein Zahedi and Saei.
Sports Minister Ahmad Donyamali sought to play down the significance of the ruling, stressing that it was only an initial decision and that the ministry had a legal opportunity to defend the election process.
“This does not mean the election has been annulled. The court has issued an initial ruling and we have three weeks to pursue the matter,” Donyamali told reporters on Tuesday. “There is no cause for concern and, God willing, the issue will be resolved.”
Donyamali added that he had personally reviewed the relevant documents and expressed confidence about the outcome of the appeals process.
Meanwhile, Hadi Afshar, secretary general of the Taekwondo Federation, also emphasized that the legal process had not yet been concluded and said the federation had not received an official notification of the election’s annulment.
He said the Administrative Justice Court had its own legal procedures and that the Sports Ministry, as the body responsible for approving candidates’ eligibility and overseeing the election, had the right to defend its decisions.
“If something is officially communicated to us, we have a duty to study it and, if necessary, prepare the relevant legal submission,” Afshar told ANA. “The Ministry of Sport will also defend the actions it took as the responsible authority.”
Afshar said the ministry had supporting documents regarding the approval process and could present them to the relevant authorities. He added that receiving requests for explanations or documents from bodies such as the Administrative Justice Court or the General Inspection Organization was not unusual in administrative matters.
For now, Saei remains at the helm of the federation while the appeal is considered.
The court ruling comes at a
particularly important time for Iranian taekwondo. The national team recently returned from the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with two gold medals, one silver and one bronze, while preparations for the Olympic qualification cycle are also getting underway.
The uncertainty surrounding the federation’s leadership could therefore add tension to an already busy period for Iranian taekwondo. The final outcome will depend on the appeals process and any subsequent ruling by the court.