I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y DECEMBER 3, 2019 SPORTS 15

Iran empty-handed at AFC Annual Awards Keykavous Saeidi appointed as Iran’s NOC secretary general

SPORTS TEHRAN - Keykavous Saeidi has been chosen deskas secretary general of Iran’s National Olympic Committee (NOC) on Monday.

Qatar’s rising star Akram Hassan Afif cannot forget my family, who are my up a successful year by winning the 2019 Developing: The Hong Kong Football and of Japan won the AFC main supporters. This means a lot to AFC Futsal Player of the Year award, Association Ltd. Player of the Year Award for men and me and I must thank all of you again after helping his club Aspiring: Guam Football Association Saeidi, who has already worked as head of Iran’s Golf Federation, women respectively at the 2019 AFC An- for this award.” win the AFC Futsal Club Championship AFC President Recognition was working as acting secretary general for the past six months. nual Awards in Hong Kong on Monday. Kumagai, Japan’s captain and one of for a fourth time and was also named Award for Grassroots Football: He replaced Shahrokh Shahnazi who was forced to step down (AFC Player of the Asia’s most accomplished footballers, the competition’s Most Valuable Player Inspiring Member Association: Chi- from his role in May because of personal reasons. Year), Mehdi Javid (AFC Futsal Player who captured a fourth UEFA Champions in Bangkok, Thailand. nese Football Association Iran prepare for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The of the Year), (AFC Asian League title with Olympique Lyonnais The Continent’s highest accolade – the Developing Member Association: Persians claimed three gold medals, one silver and four bronzes International Player of the Year) and and represented her country at the FIFA AFC Diamond of Asia award – was be- Football Association of Singapore in the previous edition in Rio de Janeiro and finished in 25th Katayoun Khosrowyar (AFC Woman Women’s World Cup France 2019 said: stowed to His Majesty Seri Paduka Bagin- Aspiring Member Association: Na- place in medal table. Coach of the Year) had been nominated “It is a great honor to receive this da the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan tional Football Association of Brunei in the ceremony. award. I would like to take this oppor- Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Darussalam Afif burst onto the scene at the AFC tunity to thank all the people who sup- Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad AFC Coach of the Year: Asian Cup where he was an instrumen- ported me, especially my teammates in Shah Al-Musta’in Billah in recognition for Women: Asako Takakura (JPN) FFIRI president Mehdi Taj tal figure in helping secure their the national team and Olympique Ly- his valuable contributions spanning more Men: Chung Jung-yong (KOR) first-ever title. His brilliance was not onnais. They’ve helped me grow up as a than three decades to the game in Asia. AFC Futsal Player of the Year: praises Alireza Beiranvand limited to the Continental stage after footballer and their support has led me The King of Malaysia received the Tomoki Yoshikawa (JPN) guiding Al Sadd to the AFC Champions to this stage. This award will continue award at the Istana Negara in Kuala AFC Women Player of the Year: Football Federation Islamic Republic of Iran (FFIRI) president League semi-finals by scoring five goals. to motivate me to perform to the best Lumpur, Malaysia, on November 7, 2019. Saki Kumagai (JPN) Mehdi Taj has lauded Team Melli and Persepolis goalkeeper Afif, will be presented with the AFC of my abilities.” AFC Annual Awards 2019 Roll Awards not presented in Hong Alireza Beiranvand after he failed to win the AFC Player of Player of the Year Award at the 2019 Korea Republic’s Chung Jung-yong, of Honor Kong: the Year Award. Persian Gulf Cup, where he is currently who impressively led his country to a AFC Diamond of Asia: AFC Player of the Year: In the ceremony held in Hong Kong on Monday, Qatar’s rising playing for Qatar in the competition. runner-up finish at the FIFA U-20 World His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda the Akram Hassan Afif (QAT) star Akram Hassan Afif and Saki Kumagai of Japan won the AFC Al Sadd head coach received the Cup in June, received the 2019 AFC Coach Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Ab- AFC Youth Player of the Year: Player of the Year Award for men and women respectively at the award on behalf of the mercurial player. of the Year award in the men’s category, dullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Women: (JPN) 2019 AFC Annual Awards. In his acceptance video speech, Afif while Japan’s women’s national coach Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji Ahmad Men: Lee Kang-in (KOR) “Alireza became the first ever goalkeeper to be selected as the said: “I would like to thank the AFC for Asako Takakura claimed an unprece- Shah Al-Musta’in Billah AFC Asian International Player final three nominations and it shows that how talented player this award. My thanks also go out to dented seventh AFC Coach of the Year AFC Member Association of of the Year: he is. Beiranvand has reached top of the Iran and Asian football the management of the Qatar national award in the women’s category. the Year: Son Heung-min (KOR) and can achieve greater success in the future. team, Al Sadd and . I Japan’s Tomoki Yoshikawa wrapped Inspiring: Japan Football Association (Source: the-afc) “His strong hands have made unforgettable memories for the Iranian people. To save Cristiano Ronaldo’s penalty in the 2018 FIFA World Cup as well as his crucial performances in the AFC Iranian judoka Saeid Mollaei to fight Iran’s women down India at IWBF Asia Champions League with Persepolis have created memorable for Mongolia Oceania Championships moments for the Iranian nation. “He stands in the start of the road to success and there will be a bright future ahead of him,” Taj said in his message. (Source: Khabaronline)

Esteghlal’s Yazdani sidelined for Six Weeks

TASNIM — Esteghlal defender Siavash Yazdani will be sidelined for around six weeks after picking up a right hamstring injury. He suffered an injury in the match against Sepahan in Iran Professional League (IPL) on Saturday. According to Esteghlal’s doctor Kaveh Sotoudeh, Yazdani will be out for six weeks. Yazdani’s absence is a big blew to Esteghlal. Esteghlal headed by Andrea Stramaccioni, are favorites to win the IPL title after seven years.

SPORTS TEHRAN — Iranian Mongolian fighter is Otgonbaatar Uu- SPORTS TEHRAN — Iran’s cord eight women’s teams will compete deskjudoka Saeid Mollaei ganbaatar at place 17 and Nyamsuren deskwomen’s team beat at the competitions, taking place at the Iran futsal held in intl. has made the surprising decision to fight Dagvasuren is ranked 27th. India 43-13 at the 2019 International Eastern National Sports Centre and are for Mongolia at the Qingdao Masters 2019. The 27-year-old Iranian athlete is a Wheelchair Basketball Federation (IWBF) scheduled to conclude on December 7. Mashhad Cup opener The competition will be held in Chinese famous judoka who won a gold medal at Asia Oceania Championships in Thai city In the men’s competition, the six top- MNA — Iranian men’s futsal team was held with a 5-5 draw city Qingdao from Dec. 12 to 14 with 476 the Baku 2018 World Championships Pattaya on Monday. ranked teams - Australia, China, Iran, against Slovakia in the opening game of the 2019 Mashhad Cup judokas from 70 countries. and a bronze medal at the Budapest 2017 Team Melli, who had already defeat- Japan, South Korea and Thailand - will in the northeastern Iranian city. President of Mongolia Khaltmaagiin World Championships. ed Cambodia 40-22, will face Thailand play in Division A, which will be a single Held at Shahid Beheshti Stadium on Sunday night, fans were Battulga, a former Sambo wrestling cham- Mongolia have lost a few athletes to on Tuesday. round-robin to determine first to sixth the major winner of the match as they could enjoy a game with pion, handed him out the passport. Azerbaijan and was about to lose three Earlier on the day, Iran’s men’s team suf- place in the ranking. plenty of tactics and goals. In Qingdao, Mollaei was supposed to Mongolian athletes including Nyamsuren fered their second loss against Australia (78- The other eight teams - Afghanistan, Chi- The Iranian team’s head coach Mohammad Nazemosharia fight under the International Refugee Team Dagvasuren to the UAE in 2018, but that 55) after they lost to Japan 71-51 on Sunday. nese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Iraq, Malaysia, praised the performance of the European team after the match, (IRT). However, at the website of the IJF transfer was cancelled. Mongolia have won Iran will play hosts Thailand on Tuesday. the Philippines and Saudi Arabia - are drawn saying that the game was a ‘real test’ for his team and helped to he is a member of Mongolia. consecutive Olympic medals since 2004 The IWBF Asia Oceania zone has four into two pools of four in Division B. identify weaknesses. “Our players are not yet fully ready,” he Mollaei, who is still ranked World Num- and with a judoka as its president, that spots available for men and three for women The top two teams in Division B will said, noting that more work needs to be done in defense. ber three, should normally lose his points ambition can become only stronger. With at Tokyo 2020, with one spot in each al- become the seventh- and eighth-ranked Iran will next meet with Belarus on Tuesday while Slovakia once switching to another country. Mollaei Mongolia have a serious ace to ready allocated to Japan as the host nation. teams in Division A to make up the quar- and Belarus will lock horns today. In his category U81kg the first continue the streak. Fourteen men’s teams and an event-re- ter-final pairings. This is a three-nation cup with the participation of Iran, Be- larus, and Slovakia. Earlier, Kuwait had been named as another team participating in the competition but Kuwaiti officials have Xavi backs Qatar to compete at World Cup after Akram award reportedly prevented the team’s departure to Iran due to security Barcelona legend and Al Sadd coach Xavi backed hosts coach. They are well organized on the pitch and they have concerns. This is while security is provided all across the country. Qatar to make an impression at the next World Cup after a very good generation of players... Many players that can Mashhad Cup will wrap up on Wednesday. exciting forward was named Asian player of make the difference on the pitch. Iran is preparing to defend its title at the 2020 AFC Futsal the year on Monday. “They are working really well and they can compete in Championship which is going to be held in Turkmenistan’s Ash- -based Xavi, who collected the award on Afif’s behalf 2022 for sure.” gabat from Feb. 24 to Mar. 10. at the Asian Football Confederation awards in Hong Kong, Afif, who beat Iran goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand and said the Qataris would be competitive in 2022 “for sure”. Japan defender to the honor, is the sec- Afif also helped Xavi’s Al Sadd reach the AFC Champi- ond Qatari in a row to win the men’s prize after defender ons League semi-finals, where they lost to Saudi eventual last year. Mayer wins super-G in Alberta winners Al Hilal 6-5 on aggregate. His award comes exactly nine years after Qatar were “I think they are working very well, they are competing named as surprise World Cup hosts, a move that was fol- Olympic champion Matthias Mayer won the men’s World Cup against very big countries,” Xavi, who won the 2010 World lowed by vote-buying allegations and a shift to the winter super-G in Alberta . Cup with Spain, said of Qatar. to avoid the Qatari summer heat. Competing a couple of hundred kilometers from where his father “I think they have a very good team and also a very good (Source: AFP) Helmut claimed Olympic silver in Calgary in 1988, Mayer charged down the Lake Louise mountain to triumph by nearly half a second. The 29-year-old Austrian skied flawlessly, hitting speeds of 120 ‘Chicharito’ opens door to MLS move in future kph to end his run of four second-place finishes on the mountain. For his sixth World Cup career victory — three in super-G and Mexico forward Javier Hernandez has about continuing his career in the U.S. dalajara and became an instant hit with After two seasons in Germany, he three in downhill — Mayer beat Italian Dominik Paris by 0.40 refused to rule out playing in Major «Look, I am always thinking about my 20 goals in his first season en route to moved back to England with West Ham. seconds, while Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr and Swiss Mauro League Soccer later in his career. future. I want to be as open as I can to a Premier League title. He joined Sevilla in the summer and Caviezel tied for third, 0.49 seconds off the pace. Hernandez -- also known as “Chich- any opportunity. He helped United win another title has scored one goal in seven Paris, the lead singer in a heavy metal band, had to settle for arito” — moved to Sevilla in the summer “MLS is a league that is improving. two years later but left to join Real Ma- appearances. runner-up for the second successive day after being pipped in following a spell in the Premier League It is an opportunity. Every league is an drid on loan for the 2014-15 campaign Hernandez, 31, is Mexico›s all-time the downhill on Saturday. with West Ham. opportunity.” where he won the FIFA Club World Cup leading scorer with 52 goals in 109 ap- Mayer is a double Olympic gold medalist, winning super-G “Yes, definitely,” he told the LA Hernandez left Mexico in 2010 when before moving to Bayer Leverkusen per- pearances. in Pyeongchang in 2018 and downhill in Sochi in 2014. Times when asked if he had thought he joined Manchester United from Gua- manently. (Source: ESPN) (Source: Reuters)