I N T E R N A T I O N A L D A I L Y JANUARY 22, 2020 SPORTS 11

Female sprinter Fasihi dreams beaten by at Asian Handball Championship

of reaching Olympics SPORTS — Qatar came from first half deskdefeat to beat Iran at the 2020 Asian Men’s SPORTS TEHRAN — Female Handball Championship on Tuesday. desksprinter Farzaneh Fasihi, Team Melli beat the Asian star-studded team 13-11 but dubbed the Wind Girl, comes close to fulfilling lost 31-25 at the end of the match. her dream of reaching the Olympic Games. Qatar have become a dominating force in the continental Fasihi has recently secured her place at event, winning the last three editions of the biennial event. the 2020 Indoor Champi- Iran, who had defeated hosts Kuwait 28-24 in Group 2 onships, running 7.29 second time in the Monday night, will face Korea Republic on Thursday. 60 meters event. Group 1 includes Bahrain, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the UAE. She has become the first Iranian woman The 2020 Asian Men’s Handball Championship is the 19th to participate at the World Athletics Indoor edition of the championship held under the aegis of Asian Championships. Handball Federation at Kuwait City, Kuwait from Jan. 16 to 27. The 18th World Athletics Indoor Cham- It acts as the Asian qualifying tournament for the 2021 pionships will be held from 13 to 15 March World Men’s Handball Championship in Egypt. 2020 in Nanjing, China at the newly-built Nanjing›s Cube gymnasium at the Nanjing Youth Olympic Sports Park. Now, Fasihi, who is a member of Atletski Iranian clubs’ General Klub Partizan, wants to win a berth in the 2020 Olympic Games. Managers to meet AFC officials “I’m experiencing the new situations in Serbia and I hope I can keep going it. SPORTS TEHRAN — The general managers of the I wanted to break Iran’s record and I ac- deskfour Iranian clubs representing Iran in 2020 complished that. I also wanted to book a AFC Champions League - Persepolis, Esteghlal, Sepahan, place at the 2020 World Athletics Indoor and Shahr Khodro – will meet senior officials of the Asian Championships and I am proud of what Football Confederation (AFC) on Thursday. I’ve done,” Fasihi said. Amir Mahdi Alavi, the spokesman for the Football Feder- “It›s every athlete›s dream to compete at ation, says that the goal of the meeting is to negotiate about an Olympics. I had concentrated on securing the hosting right of the Iranian teams in AFC Champions a place at Olympics so far and step by step League matches. I›ve been improving. To secure quota place Mohammad Hasan Ansarifard, General Manager of for the 100 meters at the 2020 Olympics is Persepolis, suggested the idea of meeting with the AFC top very difficult but I think competing in the officials and it was welcomed by Masoud Soltanifar, Iran’s prestigious tournament will be good for the Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports. Iranian women,” she added. Football Federation of Islamic Republic of Iran (FFI- “I don’t want to rely on luck to reach the to improve more. I need support to make also moral support,” Fasihi stated. secured his place in the men’s 100 meters RI) sent the request to AFC and it was approved by the Olympics and I will train hard in Belgrade history, not only financially support, but Hassan Taftian from Iran has already at the 2020 Olympic Games. confederation. Alavi added: “ Ibrahim Shakouri, Acting Secretary-Gen- eral of FFIRI, along with General Managers of the four clubs - Persepolis, Sepahan, Esteghlal, and Shahr Khodro - will Jahanbakhsh confident of strong end to the season leave Tehran on Wednesday night for . The Iranian midfielder is hoping for a each game. He knows that whoever he picks is ready to under his belt. meeting will be held on Thursday at the AFC headquarters strong end in Brighton. do well and perform for the team.” “Obviously everyone knows that I had a difficult time to discuss the issues with the Secretary General of the Asian “We feel we are playing well but everyone in the squad “In football the most important game is always the last season when I didn’t play much. Football Confederation.” knows how important every point is at this stage of the next game. In terms of the season we’re quite relaxed “This season I have always worked hard in training AFC’s Competitions Committee has announced that Iranian season. I think the important thing is that we are still at the moment but we know we need to get more points and I thought I deserved my opportunity and the support teams in the 2020 ACL must host their rivals in a neutral creating chances. If we can start taking and keep a few when we have our better performances,” he added. I got here and back home in Iran when I scored those venue because of security concerns. more clean sheets we will be fine,” Jahanbakhsh said. Jahanbakhsh scored his first Premier League goal two goals was a fantastic feeling. The decision has angered the Iranian fans and officials “I think the good thing for the coach is every day in last month’s win over the Cherries and followed it “It took a lot of pressure off me and I know if I get in Iran. everybody trains extremely well. I think everyone in up three days later with a goal of the season contender more chances in the team now I will hopefully take them Responding to the decision, the four Iranian teams signed the squad is improving which makes it easier for the against Chelsea. He started in Albion’s last away game at and do well for the team.” and sent a letter to the AFC President Sheikh Salman bin manager when he decides on the strategy and team for Everton 10 days ago and is hoping to get more minutes (Source: brightonandhovealbion.com) Ebrahim Al Khalifa on Saturday, insisting that Iran is “safe” enough to host the international matches. linked to Aston Villa UWW lauds Iranian wrestler Mohammadian Iran to participate at Paralympics under name of Gen. Qassem Soleimani

TASNIM — Iran’s Paralympic delegation will take part at the 2020 Tokyo under the name of Lt. Gen. Qassem Soleimani, nicknamed as “Commander of Hearts”. Revered General Sloleimani, Commander of IRGC Quds Brigade, and Abu Mahdi al-Muhandis, the second-in-command of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Units (PMU), were martyred in US airstrikes in the Iraqi capital Baghdad on January 3. Iran had named its Rio Paralympic team “Mina” in honor of the pilgrims who were killed in the fatal stampede at Mina in Saudi Arabia. The 2020 Paralympic Games will be held in Tokyo from August 25 to September 6.

Ali Daei rejects Iran national Aston Villa are keen on Rio Ave’s Mehdi ter striker Islam Slimani, who is currently Mohammadhossein Mohammadian (USA), 10-0. Taremi as they look to sign a second striker on a season-long loan with Monaco, but a had a magical run to the 97kg title In the quarterfinals, Mohammadi- team link in the January window after completing deal would be difficult to conclude. at the Matteo Pellicone. an picked up arguably the biggest a deal for Mbwana Samatta. Smith was speaking as Villa also con- Mohammadian’s five victories win of his career when he flattened PLDC — says that the Football Federation Islamic The Iran international has scored six firmed striker Jonathan Kodjia’s departure included a fall over an Olympic Olympian champion, Kyle Snyder Republic of Iran (FFIRI) has not negotiated with him over goals in 13 Portuguese top-flight games since to Taremi’s former club in Qatar Al Ghara- champion, and wins over a U23 world while commanding an 8-0 lead. An Team Melli hot seat. a summer move from Al Gharafa, and he is fa, who are managed by ex-Watford and champion, a world bronze medalist, 11-0 showing against 2018 world Multiple media reports suggested that Daei will be the new said to be on Villa’s list of considerations. Fulham boss Slavisa Jokanovic. a world fifth-place finisher and a Eu- bronze-medal finisher Abraham head coach of Iran national football team, but the ex-forward Villa signed Samatta from Genk on a The Villa boss said: “Jimmy has had a ropean runner-up de Jesus CONYEDO RUANO (ITA) has rejected the rumors linking him with Team Melli. four-and-a-half-year contract on Monday tough season. He came back from AFCON Mohammadian kickstarted his inserted the Iranian into the finals, In an interview with the reporters, Daei said the federation evening and before the deal was completed, very tired after playing a summer series, day by crushing Alisher YERGA- where he met Aliaksandr HUSHTYN has not negotiated with him. manager Dean Smith said the club was got injured in the first game against Tot- LI (KAZ), a fifth-place finish in (BLR) for the 97kg title. He capped After the federation parted ways with , hoping to add one more. tenham, struggled for fitness since, and Nur-Sultan. The Iranian downed off his dominant run to a Matteo several coaches were shortlisted to take charge of Team “It’s something we’re talking about all struggled for game time. the man who qualified Kazakhstan Pellicone gold medal, where he Melli, however the federation has not appointed the new the time,” Smith said. “Suso [Villa sporting “With his contract up at the end of the for the 2020 Olympic Games, 11-0. outscored his five opponents 41- head coach so far. director Jesus García Pitarch] believes the season, we hadn’t offered him a new con- He followed up that hot start with a 0, with a 9-0 blanking of Hushtyn Ex-Persepolis coach Branko Ivankovic was among the same as well, so it’s something we’re looking tract, so he wanted to look at new avenues. second technical superiority victo- and brought home his first career candidates but the Croat was named as Oman head coach for and looking to press on with as well.” We’ve allowed that to happen.” ry. This time, he thumped reigning Rankings Series title. on Sunday. Villa are also interested in signing Leices- (Source: Sky Sports) U23 world champion Bo NICKAL (Source: UWW) is also a nominee to take charge of Team Melli but he is under contract with Sepahan football club. also was a candidate but he was Iranian clubs to file complaint with CAS over AFC’s decision appointed as Persepolis coach last week. MNA — The four Iranian participating clubs in AFC nounced that they will only participate in the tournament Champions League will lodge a complaint with Court of if the Asian Football Confederation officially declares that Arbitration for Sport against the Asian Football Confeder- they can host their rivals in the territory of the Islamic ation over its decision to ban Iranian teams from hosting Republic of Iran. Dragan Skocic shortlisted for their Asian rivals in Iran. Some experts evaluate AFC’s new suggestion as a trap. Iran job: report Mahdi Alinejadi, deputy Sports Minister, said that the They say the AFC can later repeat claims about Iran’s Iranian clubs will prepare a complaint and follow it up security and issue the same ruling which will then result through the channel of Iranian Football Federation in the in heavier fines and consequences for Iran’s football. They TASNIM — Croatian coach Dragan Skocic is reportedly Court of Arbitration for Sport against the AFC. believe the Iranian teams should obtain an official guar- among the nominees to coach Iran national football team. He said that officials will try to obtain a temporary antee for hosting rivals in the home or withdraw from the The 51-year-old coach, who currently leads Sanat Naft, order to remove the ban, adding that international tournament as soon as possible. has been coaching Iranian teams since 2013. talks and lobbies are simultaneously underway to solve “Any Participating Club that withdraws less than He took charge of Malavan in 2013 and has also coached the problem. thirty (30) days before its first Match shall be fined at Foolad, Khooneh be Khooneh and Sanat Naft. AFC’s Competitions Committee has announced that least USD 20,000,” reads the ACL regulations. “The AFC Ali Daei and Amir Ghalenoei are also among the nominees. Iranian teams in the 2020 ACL should host their rivals Disciplinary and Ethics Committee may impose further With less than three months remaining until the in a neutral venue, citing security concerns as a reason would be held in neutral venues and the body will later sanctions in its discretion.” restart of the 2022 FIFA World Cup qualification, the behind the decision. The measure sparked harsh criti- reconsider the hosting capabilities of Iran in the group This is while withdrawal from the event after the Iranian football federation has not introduced the new cism from fans and officials in Iran who believe it to be stage. Esteghlal and Shahr Khodro should play rivals in commencement of the group stage will lead to at least head coach yet. mainly political. the Preliminary State while Sepahan and Persepolis have USD 50,000 of fine plus two years ban on participating Team Melli will host Hong Kong on March 26 in Tehran Following strong protests, the AFC took a step back already secured places in the group stage. in the event and some other probable sanctions by the and meet Cambodia five days later in an away match. and announced that the ACL Preliminary Stage matches In a letter to AFC published on Monday, the clubs an- Executive committee. Iran will face Bahrain and Iraq on June 4 and 9 in Tehran.