Holding intermittent internal matches, different courses of coaching and refereeing and dispatching different fields teams of martial arts are among plans of the Union’s working plan in 2008.

Seyed Ali Haghshenas the president of the board and managing director of Iran Sport Non Governmental Organizations’ (N.G.O.’s) Society and Iranian Martial Arts Professionals Union in an interview, with ISNA with declaring the above statement, said: This Union in 2007 has held more than tens periods of championship in Karate, Taekwondo, Judo, Kick Boxing, Wusho and Kung Fu fields.

The championship of Iran in World A Class Taekwondo International Tournaments in Russia in spite of the incomplete composition of dispatched team, in presence of 29 countries such as South Korea, Mexico and United States was a start point in Union’s activities.

Haghshenas added: in 2008, four to five dispatches have been foreseen which the most important ones in the first six months of the year are the dispatch of Iran Kick Boxing elected team to Madrid World Tournaments, Tehran Province Karate (Kiokoshin) team to Rome Tournaments and Savate (French Boxing) team to Paris Tournaments.

The world Full Contact champion (Holland – 2001) continued with saying: The moving process of the Union is in the direction of non governmental and private sectors’ activities and is supported by public helps. This process has started in country’s sport from the establishment of the Iranian Taekwondo Association in 2000.

He added: During near one decade the active presence of civil entities in the sport which resulted to lots of internal activities and gaining several glories in international competitions, unfortunately, has not received necessary attention from the state. Whereas, different champions especially in martial arts are hoisting the Islamic Iran’s flag in international and world tournaments with personal expenses; but receive no supports. Although, the efforts of different federations’ champions could not be disregarded, but the sport players of private sectors are gaining glories for the country without imposing different expenses on country’s treasury or expecting expensive gifts.

In fact, private sectors’ champions are national champions. The President of Iranian Taekwondo Association regarding the situation of Iran Taekwondo in Olympic Games stated: Olympic Games are the place of the best ones and only the best ones should be dispatched.

The quality level of Olympic Games’ Taekwondo is lower than world matches, but high stress and psychic pressures are governing on players and technical staffs. The ones who have received Olympic rations should let the place for others as well, for in case of being more qualified to be dispatched to competitions. Fortunately, the view point of players who have received rations is professional in this regard and this is to the benefit of country’s interests. 

Source: Niroo Weekly Magazine, No. 913, Wednesday, 22/5/2008