Ehsan Hadadi: We Are Not Fully Satisfied With Our Performance in Nagoya

The press conference of Ehsan Hadadi, president of the Athletics Federation and medalists in athletics at the Nagoya Asian Games, was held today (Tuesday, 21 Mehr) at the federation's headquarters with the presence of media representatives.

According to Ambassador Arjan, Ehsan Haddadi, head of the Athletics Federation, today (Tuesday) in a press conference after the Asian Games in Nagoya and winning 4 colorful medals in different events, at the Aftab El-Eghlab complex, stated: I am happy that these results were obtained and from the point of view of the sports community and sports-loving people, our performance was a good result. Especially since we had better conditions compared to the previous period, but in our opinion, we presented a poor performance and we need to examine the results more carefully.

He continued: When I accepted the responsibility of the federation, I felt the gaps that had to be planned to eliminate them. From the very beginning, I talked about the conditions of the athletes, the existing problems and the necessity of making changes. We must provide conditions where talented athletes can show their abilities and achieve results in important competitions. This path requires continuous planning and support for athletes.

The head of the athletics federation stated: I emphasized from the beginning that we should try to win a medal. Some of our athletes, including Rehane Mobini and others, had the capacity to win medals, and it was expected that we would be able to use these opportunities better. Of course, we must be realistic; Sometimes the result does not go as expected and failure is part of the championship sport. We did not get good results in some areas and we have to admit that our performance was poor in those areas, but we are trying to change this situation.

Haddadi added: We promise again to work for the future, because I believe that winning four medals alone is not an achievement that we should be satisfied with. If we got 10 medals, we shouldn't think we did a great job; Just as if we do not reach our goals, we must be accountable and investigate the reasons. In sports, when the athlete succeeds, sometimes the problems and shortcomings of the past are forgotten, while in order to continue the success, the weaknesses must also be seen and fixed.

Referring to the performance of Zahra Zarei, he noted: Zarei performed well and winning her medal was a valuable event. We have to decide now to continue the path of these athletes and consider future plans. All in all, the federation is not fully satisfied with its performance and we need to do a detailed pathology to determine why some results did not come as expected.

The head of the Athletics Federation emphasized: We will use the opinions of experts and people who have more experience in Asian competitions to check the caravan's performance. Our goal is to provide better conditions for participation in future competitions by identifying problems and not allowing past mistakes to be repeated.

What was the reason for Haddadi's absence in Nagoya?

Haddadi further stated about the reason for not participating in the Nagoya Asian Games: One of the reasons for this decision was the experience I had from participating in the previous Asian Games. On the other hand, I believed that specialized coaches should be present with their athletes so that they can solve technical problems during training and competitions and respond to the needs of athletes.

He added: In some cases, the situation did not go according to plan. Problems arose for the attendance of the specialized trainer Ali Amirian, and in the case of the trainer Zahra Zarei, it was not possible to attend despite the measures taken to obtain a visa and the expenses incurred in this way. As the head of the federation, I expected specialized coaches to be with the athletes to manage their technical issues during competitions and training. My decision was based on having specialized trainers with the athletes, but in practice this did not happen for everyone.

Ehsan Haddadi, President of the Athletics Federation, continued the press conference after the Asian Games in Nagoya, regarding the disqualification of Fatemeh Mohizadeh for using non-standard shoes. When an athlete achieves results in competitions, everyone contributes to his success, but in the event of a mistake, it should be determined who was responsible and what mistakes were made. For this reason, we have carefully examined this matter so that a decision can be made based on the facts.

He continued: I reached a position in this federation with the medals I won during my sports career, and today I am working as the head of this group. I have never claimed to be infallible or superior to others. Mohizadah is also one of our heroes and conditions should be provided so that he can use his experience to help the next generations. However, being a champion in professional sports comes with responsibilities and everyone must move within the framework of the federation's regulations and decisions.

Federation protocols do not change for anyone

Referring to the need to observe professional principles in international camps and expeditions, the head of the Athletics Federation stated: In the winter of 1403, we brought three foreign coaches to the country and planned for different disciplines and athletes. Several meetings were also held to provide suitable conditions for athletes to participate in international competitions. I believe that the athlete should participate in the competitions with his specialized coach, but this should be done within the framework of the federation's rules and programs. We cannot change the protocols for an individual and if the professional principles are not followed, ultimately the athlete and the national team will suffer.

Haddadi added: Fatemeh Mohizadeh was separated from our team for a while and efforts were made to help her. In championship sports, compassion alone is not enough and decisions must be made based on specific rules and responsibilities. In countries that own sports, when a decision is made about an athlete or technical staff, professional frameworks are the criteria of action, and we must follow the same path.

Equipment was provided; Team officials should be held accountable

He mentioned about the conditions of dispatch and the issue of specialized shoes for athletes: necessary measures were taken to provide the necessary equipment and I even followed up on some cases myself. Before the deployment, the athletes were asked about the facilities, nutrition and conditions of the team and they declared that there is no shortage in this regard. Specialized shoes were also prepared and we stressed that the athletes should appear in the competitions with full preparation. However, something happened that led to the loss of a valuable medal, and it must be determined who is responsible.

The head of the athletics federation emphasized: I have said from the beginning that I do not consider the athlete to be the main culprit. The technical staff and team officials must be responsible for the results and events. If an athlete succeeds, everyone has worked for it, and if something goes wrong, the responsibilities must be clearly defined. You can't judge people without a thorough investigation.

Mohizadah's case is investigated by the disciplinary committee

At the end, referring to the process of investigating this incident, Haddadi said: I spent about 10 to 15 days to investigate the issue and talked to various people, including athletes, coaches, team leaders and other related people, to clarify the dimensions of the story. After summarizing the opinions and reviewing the conditions, we decided to introduce the team leader and the relevant coach to respond and the issue will be discussed in the disciplinary committee.

He added: The final decision about these people is the responsibility of the disciplinary committee, and any decision made within the framework of the regulations will be respected by us. We will follow this issue until all aspects are clarified, because a medal that could be valuable for Iranian athletics was affected by this incident. My goal of being in the federation is to provide conditions for athletes to reach Asian and Olympic medals. I hope that our heroes, along with continuing their professional path, will also pass on their experiences to the younger generation so that the future of Iran's athletics will be built with greater strength.

Referring to Ali Amirian's performance in Nagoya Asian Games, Ehsan Haddadi said: This young athlete has shown that he has the ability to progress and achieve greater honors. If he continues on the right track and adheres to the technical recommendations and training programs, he can win a valuable medal at the international level in the next four years. He is a good-hearted and talented athlete who shows a good spirit in meetings and camps. I hope that with proper guidance and the provision of suitable conditions, he will be able to use his capacities in the best way and become proud of Iranian sports in the future.

Referring to the importance of using experienced coaches and basic training in this field, the head of the Athletics Federation stated: Athletics is a very specialized field and one cannot expect an athlete to succeed at the level of the Asian Games or the Olympics without proper training and long-term planning. Experience has shown that the cultivation of great champions requires years of training, continuous practice and technical guidance.

In the continuation of this meeting, the official of the International Department of the Athletics Federation explained the events related to Farzaneh Fasihi's participation in the world championships and stated: Fasihi and her husband were present outside the country at that time. This athlete recorded a record of 7.26 seconds in the German competition on 25th of February, and five days later, his wife informed me via WhatsApp that he has achieved the required level of eloquence and plans to participate in the world competition.

He continued: "According to the administrative process, I announced that the issue should be raised with Ehsan Haddadi and Siami, so that after receiving the order, we will take the necessary measures." On the other hand, Benyamin Yousefi was already on the registration list, and it was necessary to inquire about Fashihi's attendance status from the World Federation.

The international official of the federation stated: I sent an email to the world federation on the 30th of February at 16:20 and asked about the possibility of registering in the women's 60m event and the status of Yousefi's registration. The response of the World Federation was received on the same day, at 5:51 p.m.; But according to the explanations provided, the situation was still not certain and the final confirmation depended on the examination of the conditions and the ranking of the athletes.

He added: After that, with the start of the war on the second of March, communication and the possibility of following up the affairs faced problems. These conditions were not limited to Fashihi and Benyamin Yousefi also faced the problem of dispatch. Finally, sending the Iranian team to the World Championship in Poland was rejected.

Timur Ghiashi: This couple always caused confusion in athletics

Taimur Ghiashi, the pioneer of athletics in Iran, also stated in the continuation of this meeting, referring to the scandals created around Farzaneh Fasihi and his wife: I have been active in athletics for 64 years and I have spent a large part of my life in this field. Because of this, I am really saddened when things like this happen and I expect the issues within the athletics family to be looked into more carefully.

He continued by criticizing the behavior of this couple: In my opinion, Fasihi and his wife, despite being familiar with the environment of athletics, in some cases, instead of helping to calm this field, they have caused confusion and discomfort. I express this issue clearly and I believe that in order to judge the performance of people, their records and sports record should be checked.

Referring to the champions of Iran's athletics of the past generations, Ghiashi clarified: Great athletes in the history of this discipline have made Iran proud and we should not let the sidelines affect the position of athletics and its champions. Journalists also play an important role in this direction; Because by questioning and following up, they can help clarify issues.