Tag: FFIRI

Memorandum of collaboration signed between Iran and Qatar

Iran and Qatar have signed a four-year football Memorandum of collaboration commencing before the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022.

The presidents of FFIRI Shehab Azizi Khadem and Sheikh Hamad bin Ahmed Al Thani, President of the Qatar Football Association, attended the signing ceremony earlier today (Thursday) in Doha.  According to the memorandum, the two federations will collaborate in holding friendly matches, exchange of training facilities as well as training camps at all levels of different age categories of their respective national football teams, including men and women. The long-term collaboration between the two sides, which will soon be implemented in various fields, is important due to the good relations between the two countries, ease of logistics and transportation, proximity, and cultural commonalities of the two countries.

With Qatar hosting the 2022 World Cup, its state-of-the-art facilities and modern infrastructure will be available to National Iranian football teams in Qatar. In this meeting, Hamidreza Mehr Ali (acting vice president of the FFIRI), Rafiei (legal advisor to the president of FFIRI) and Dragan Skocic (head coach of the national team) accompanied Azizi Khadem. Also present at the meeting was FIFA’S Deputy Secretary-General Football, Mattias Grafström.   Last night on the sidelines of the opening ceremony of the FIFA Arab Cup, Azizi Khadem had a meeting with Gianni Infantino, the president of FIFA, who is scheduled to travel to Iran in February 2022.

Azizi Khadem has traveled to Qatar at the official invitation of the President of the Qatar Football Federation. Qatar will host the Qatar FIFA World Cup in November 2022, and the Iranian national team is just one step away from qualifying for the tournament. With this contract, it can be hoped that the national team will take advantage of Qatar’s sports facilities to hold camps and friendly matches within a year of the tournament.

Team Melli player publish a protest statement after the win against Lebanon.

Team Melli defeated Lebanon 2-1 away in Sidon in the final minutes of the game to complete the first half of the final qualifying round of the World Cup with 13 points and without defeat,

Immediately after the match, the players published a joint statement on social media, highlighting the problems and shortcomings the squad is facing, including the poor quality of the national team kit, non-payment of bonuses, and the Football Federation’s failure to address the team’s difficulties in Lebanon. The statement targeted the officials of FFIRI  and the country’s Sports Ministry for criticism and referred to Team Melli conditions as not worthy of the name of Iran and a team that is top in Asia.

Team Melli will meet Syria in the first return match in five days (Tuesday, November 16). The text of the players’ message is as follows:

“We, the national team players, with all our intensity and zeal, and with the support of the honorable people of Iran, reached the top of the table in these rounds without defeat. It is necessary to inform the people and the fans about the poor conditions, the hardship, and the problems that the national team is facing, which are not up to a respectable standard and way below our expectations and the reputation of our country. In terms of logistics and support, it is not even close to the standard of a club team. We have been wearing old jerseys for over a year and we have to wear them again every time after washing.

During this trip to Lebanon, we encountered many problems, including the training facilities, but there was no proper protest from the federation officials. Contrary to promises and obligations, the national team players have not yet received their bonuses after several months have passed. Since our qualification to the next round in Bahrain, there has been no contact or follow-up from the country’s sports officials. Our victories have become routine for them and instead of supporting the squad more, they have completely forgotten us. This situation is not at all suitable for a team that is at the top of the Asian rankings and is preparing for the World Cup.”

Iranian Females in Azadi

Fans are still awaiting on the verdict on Azadi.

The President of FFIRI Shahabuddin Azizi Khadem declared that the verdict in the case of Marc Wilmots against his federation in the Supreme Court of Sports is still pending: “We are currently waiting. We have time until the 29th of October. We hope that what is in the interest of national football will come to fruition. No Iranian is willing to waste even a penny from the pockets of these people in a contract in which this federation was not involved!!”

The remark is quite controversial coming from the head of the federation that is supposed to have signed a contract for the coach of Team Melli. All football federations of the world select, employ, and sign contracts with coaches to manage their national teams. What transpires from Azizi Khadem is that the FFIRI had no say in the contract of the Belgian coach. That raises many questions including who forced this unsuited coach on Team Melli ? and worst, why did the previous head of the FFIRI, namely one Mehdi Taj accept this failure of a coach?

Azizi Khadem continued “We hope the final verdict is not damaging to Iranian football rights.”

Regarding the introduction of video referee assistance (VAR) technology to Iran, he said  “The information that I have is that the managers of the relevant company will arrive in Tehran tonight for study and planning. They will be in Iran for about 12 days and we have agreed on trials of VAR in four Team Melli games. Necessary instructions have also been given to the league organization to list the stadiums. This is a very important and historic step for the national football, club, and refereeing community to benefit from VAR technology in the near future “

The President of the Football Federation was asked about the chances of allowing female spectators into the stadium for the match against South Korea, He said “Our colleagues are studying all the relevant details and health protocols. I hope the verdict on the presence of the fans in the game against South Korea is positive,  which is an important issue for us. Mr. Kamrani Far had a meeting today regarding the subject and the maximum number of fans allowed, which will be announced by himself.”

Azizi Khadem dodged the original question and refused to commit to allowing females into Azadi stadium. Of course, in Iran, such decisions are beyond the football federation or the Ministry of Youth and Sports authority and jurisdiction.

Iran will be hosting South Korea on the 12th of October in Matchday 4 of the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 qualifiers.

Azizi-Khadem’s theory on Team Melli victories!

While the Team Melli fans and many observers praised the performance and the result of Team Melli against Iraq leading to a precious victory, as a result of collective efforts from the head coach to players and support staff, there comes an individual to offer a completely different perspective to this victory.

There always seems to be one individual who manages to undermines the efforts of those who achieved the victory by sending the wrong message.

These messages or series of obscure messages starting from the Syria game came from non-other than the Head of FFIRI. Azizi-Khadem was and still is under heavy criticism for his administration’s failure to fully prepare and support Team Melli for the third round of FIFA World Cup 2022 qualifiers.

Lack of adequate financial support, late scheduling and setup of the training camp, and failure to arrange friendly internationals matches are a few of many of his administration failures. However, the man is now claiming that the victory against Iraq is nothing but a “divine intervention”.

A man whose election to the head of FFIRI has raised a lot of eyebrows and shouts of corruption, in a series of statements to the media, has in fact downplayed everything by asserting “Hands of God” theory as the reason for Iran’s victory.

“We have seen the hand of divine support, guidance, and mercy of God in this victory, and we hope that these victories will be lasting and continuous and that we deserve this grace and grace of God.”

 “In the core of our existence, is faith and trust in God. Effort, diligence, hard work, planning, etc. are also fruitful (…)“

 “Along with strategic planning and effort and practice … we will and will continue to recognize and emphasize that the essential element of trusting in God and divine secret grace.” !!

“We ask God to make our football a means of growth and material and spiritual upliftment for us and our society.” Said Azizi-Khadem, after the Team Melli victory against Syria, also considered that victory as the result of “the blessed prayer of the world” for the national team!!

Why would the Whole World Pray for Iran’s victory, he did not explain!

The insiders and skeptics, who are quite a few, consider Aziz-Khadem’s rhetoric as a defense mechanism against his feeble and incompetent management. The man had no decency to credit the players and the coaching staff for a job well done.  Another objective of his is to limit the demands for funds to support Team Melli like setting proper training camps and playing friendly games.

Azadi is confirmed as the venue for the Syria game, without the fans!

After several years of struggles and follow-ups, Tehran is finally confirmed as the host of Iran’s home matches in the FIFA World Cup 2022  Qatar in the qualifying round.

Shahabuddin Azizi Khadem, said about the plans of the national football team: “an important event just happened after years as we finally gained our right to host the first game against Syria in Tehran, which can help Team Melli a lot.”

Azizi Khadem, then went on to brief the reporters about the preparation plans for the game He added: “With intensive and scientific planning in the new management of the federation and the official support that we have realized, it is now possible for our fans to watch their national team in a competitive match. A lot of effort has been made in this regard. I would also like to thank the Radio and Television Organization for its excellent cooperation with us in this regard. We have set up a special staff to prepare for the World Cup, and Mr. Foroughi is present on behalf of the IRIB. We hope that other government officials will be added to the committee in our headquarters. Football is the manifestation of our national unity.”

The president of the federation said ” all the work of the issue of visa to attend for the Syrian delegation has been carried out and handed over to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The Syrian team will arrive on Monday, August 28th. Observers and the refereeing team will also travel to Tehran. Everything is well planned and we are all ready for the game in Azadi against Syria.”

Azizi Khadem then carried on praising the effort of his management is arranging the match in Azadi, suggesting that many countries have been deprived of hosting due to Covid19.

Regarding fans’ attendance, Azizi Khadem stated regarding the presence of spectators in the matches hosted by Iran: in consultation with AFC, which has its own restrictions,  in order to comply with the regulations and satisfy the public opinion, it is unlikely that the fans will be allowed.

“After that, we have to travel to Doha, and the third game is in the UAE and the fourth game is here against South Korea, we will probably be able to allow those who were vaccinated with a special card to gain entry. “

The president of the FFIRI substituted the fans who are customarily considered as the 12 players at home games, with the Head of IRIB!!!

He said: “The twelfth friend was the emphasis of the president of the Radio and Television Organization”

Aziz Khadem’s praise to the head of IRIB that has never paid a single dollar for TV broadcast rights and practically owes football tens of millions of dollars in back pay is a true sound of desperation in a country where the one and only broadcaster considers itself above the law.

This time, there was no other option. It was either IRIB pays for the broadcast to AFC and FIFA or Iran will not be granted any rights to play its home game in Tehran. It is not clear if FIFA is compensated by IRIB for illegally broadcasting official matches without paying the right.

Mahdavikia main candidate to coach Omid Team (Iran U23)

The Iranian football legend confirmed that he has been approached by the football federation FFIRI to take over the leadership of the U23 team national team, but there are still some negotiations pending with Hamburg, the current employer of Mahdavikia.

Yesterday the Football Federation announced the selection of Mehdi Mahdavikia as the head coach of Omid team pending his acceptance of the post. Shahabuddin Azizi Khadem stated that the final agreement with MahdaviKia depends on the consent of the Hamburg club and the agreement of the two parties on the details of the contract. Today, Mehdi Mahdavikia, who has not responded to this issue since yesterday, referring to the calls and messages received from the media to comment on the subject of his pending appointment, issued a message on his Instagram page:

“Greetings to all friends and followers, especially esteemed friends of the media. There have been positive negotiations with the Football Federation, and if Hamburg Club agrees and agreements and details of cooperation with the Football Federation are finalized in the coming days, I will answer your questions, dear ones. Thanks to the patience and interest.”

 

Mehdi Mahdavikia is currently in discussion with Hamburg regarding this offer by FFIRI. It is not yet clear how and under what circumstances he will accept to take over the post of Head Coach of the Omid national team. Azizi Khadem has also announced that he will use Mahdavikia as his technical advisor for Team Melli, especially in the upcoming series of matches of the World Cup qualifiers’ third round.