6 FEBRUARY 7, 2016 Iran’s Greco-Roman Wrestler Iranian to Referee AFC Rezaei World’s 2nd in Rankings Futsal Championship TEHRAN (Tasnim) – Iranian Gre- co-Roman wrestler Ghasem Rezaei is second in the United World Wres- tling (UWW) rankings published on Friday. The London 2012 Olympics gold medalist claimed the second spot in the 98kg weight category. Armenia’s Artur Aleksanyan leads the category in the rankings and Is- lam Magomedov was chosen third. On Thursday, Hassan Rahimi in the 57kg weight category and Has- san Yazdani in the 70kg had been chosen as the second best in the Iranian futsal referee Vahid Arzpeyma Mohamareh United World Wrestling rankings TEHRAN (Press TV) - Iranian for the knockout stage. for men’s freestyle in January. referee Vahid Arzpeyma Moham- The top five teams will qualify for Ghasem Rezaei areh will officiate at the forthcoming the 2016 FIFA Futsal World Cup, 2016 Asian Football Confederation which will be the 8th edition of the (AFC) Futsal Championship, which event, in Colombia. is scheduled to be held in Uzbekistan The 2016 AFC Futsal Champion- Iran Likely to Change Greco-Roman World later this month. ship will be staged in Tashkent on On Friday, the organizing com- February 10 through February 21. mittee of the 14th edition of the Iran is the most successful team in Cup Host City biennial international tournament the tournament with ten titles. TEHRAN (MNA) – Iran Wres- traveled to city of Shiraz to exam- He added no serious measures UWW to change the assigned host appointed the 39-year-old to referee The Persians finished runner- tling Federation announced the ine the city’s facilities for hosting have been taken by provincial of- to another city. at the games. up once in 2014, and stood on the possibility of changing the host city the World Cup. ficials to pursue the hosting. Iran announced its readiness for During the official draw held in bronze podium in 2006 and 2012. of 2016 Greco-Roman World Cup, Following his visit to Shiraz, Due to the continuous pursuit of hosting the competitions in De- Tashkent, Uzbekistan, on Decem- On November 8, 2015, the na- Shiraz, due to the lack of fulfillment President of Iran Wrestling Feder- United World Wrestling (UWW) cember 2014 and UWW President ber 2, 2015, Iran joined China, Iraq tional Iranian men’s Futsal team of obligations. ation Rasoul Khadem held nego- over the fulfillment of the obliga- Nenad Lalovic, in his approval and Jordan in Group B of the forth- suffered a 3-4 defeat from Brazil in Shiraz in Fars province, south- tiations with the related authorities tions of host cities, Iran Wrestling letter, expressed his pleasure of coming sports event. the final match of the 10th edition ern Iran, was proposed to World in the city to pursue the hosting of Federation will wait for necessary Iran’s hosting and has congratu- The hosts, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon of the Grand Prix de Futsal staged Wrestling Union as a host city for 2016 Greco-Roman World Cup, measures taken by Fars province’s lated Iran on holding such great and Saudi Arabia form Group A, at the Olimpico Engenheiro Wag- 2016 Greco-Roman World Cup, Spokesman for the Islamic Re- authorities on the issue by March, event. while Chinese Taipei, Tajikistan, ner do Nascimento sports hall in on December, after the United public of Iran Wrestling Federa- Rezaei added. Russia and the United States Thailand and Vietnam are put in Brazil’s Uberaba, finishing as the World Wrestling bureau member tion Alireza Rezaei announced on He warned the Federation, oth- were also candidates for hosting Group C. Group D consists of Aus- runner-up. KIM Il-Jong from South Korea Saturday. erwise, will resume talks with the event. tralia, Japan, Malaysia and Qatar. The Grand Prix de Futsal was first The top two teams in each group held in 2005, and is held annually (eight teams in total) will qualify in Brazil. FIBA Remains Focused on Launch of Basketball Champions League FIFA Candidates Make MIES (FIBA) - FIBA confirmed on sible way to prepare for and launch Friday that it has received a request to the Basketball Champions League as Late Push for meet with the Euro league and its “re- of the 2016-2017 seasons. duced size committee” of Euro league At the same time, FIBA’s door will African Support clubs and executives. always be open to the 11 clubs that KIGALI (The Hindu) - FIFA pres- of the five men hoping to succeed The timing of the request seems to have committed to Euro league and be related to the fact that FIBA, the discussions will take place if con- idential candidates are making a late Sepp Blatter on February 26. national federations and the domes- crete and constructive proposals that push for support in Africa, the con- Four candidates, Gianni Infan- tic leagues are working intensively protect national leagues and national federation with the largest number tino, Sheikh Salman of Bahrain, together on finalizing the details of teams are presented. of votes in this month’s election to Jerome Champagne and Tokyo the Basketball Champions League. For the time being, FIBA is focused choose the next head of world soccer. Sexwale, are in Kigali to cam- In this respect, FIBA is pleased to on delivering a product correspond- The Confederation of African paign. CAF has 54 voting member see that clubs around Europe have ing to the needs of the market and Football (CAF) is holding an exec- associations, one more than UEFA, been so far overwhelmingly posi- European basketball as a whole and utive committee meeting at a hotel and represents a crucial bloc. CAF tive towards the project and have looks forward to welcoming to Mu- encouraged national federations and nich on Monday all stakeholders for in Kigali, and may follow that with has so far not publicly backed any leagues to move ahead in a respon- the next steps in this exciting project. a public pledge of support for one candidate. The Message of Cycling for All Event in Tehran in Tokyo, the Iranian Federation shared Ghamari, formerly Head of Sports and nical services and advice to individuals, its cycling for all activities with National Youth Affairs in the western province of groups or families wishing to go for a Federations from all over Asia. Markazi, is a major advocate of Sport for ride. “Attitudes are definitely changing While Iran boasts talented pros who All and a driving force behind Iran’s shift and the number of people using bikes has have topped the UCI Asia Tour rankings to Cycling for All. In just a few years, the clearly increased,” confirms Mr Ghamari. in recent years - Ghader Mizbani, Hos- progress has been considerable, not least But he is not yet satisfied and is working sein Askari, and Mehdi Sohrabi to name with the establishment of some 400 annual on more propositions which he intends a few -, the Federation is placing increas- cycling festivals throughout the country. submitting to parliament: the President of ing emphasis on cycling for the general Tehran, a city of some 9 million inhabit- the Cycling Federation of Iran would like population. ants, now boasts a total of 280km of bike to see every new car sold delivered with a “With crowded cities, commuters trav- routes, with another 80km currently under bicycle in the boot. He is also working on elling long distances to get to work, and construction. Similar bike route projects a proposition to close a different part of everyone seeking convenience, people are under way in other major cities such Tehran to motorized traffic each weekend were forgetting about bicycles,” said Mr as Mashhad and Esfahan. Governmental in order to allow the population to ride in Kasirian. “We decided to create a Cycling Offices must dedicate 1% of their funds safety. for All committee, encourage Govern- to sport, and the National Cycling Federa- “Tehran, city of bikes” is the only Asian ment investment in the sport, organise tion encourages them to use part of this event on the UCI Cycling for All calen- festivals in different cities and create spe- money to buy bikes for their employees. dars. While proud of this achievement, cial bike routes in giant cities.” Likewise, the Federation encourages the Mr Ghamari and his Federation would The public can rent bikes at Bike Houses in major cities He stressed the importance of having country’s 31 provincial cycling associa- like to increase the number of cycling the cooperation of local authorities: for tions to purchase bikes. for all events in the country and see other TEHRAN (UCI) - The 2016 UCI Cycling cycling for all in Iran. Over the last five example the Tehran Municipality has Those who are not in a possession of Asian nations follow suit. for All calendar kicked off Friday with years the Cycling Federation of the Is- put a great deal of effort into cycling for a bike can make use of Bike Houses lo- His ultimate dream is to see a ‘Cycling “Tehran, city of bikes”. lamic Republic of Iran has overseen a all, including organising and sponsoring cated in major cities, which give citizens for All Day’ held simultaneously across The event in the Iranian capital has at- number of initiatives to coax its popula- “Tehran, city of bikes.” a chance to borrow a bike for a limited all Asian countries and registered on the tract more than 10,000 participants and tion onto bikes. Cycling for All initiatives period of time. These rental stations are UCI calendar… “So we can all ride to- was part of a much wider push to increase At the recent UCI Sharing Platform held The Federation’s President Khosro manned by staff capable of giving tech- gether for one day.” .