History of Iran Women's Volleyball in Transit of time

Among the group sport disciplines volleyball is a sport that, ladies have enthusiast to it and a lot of them are active in it. By considering this motivation Authorities of Volleyball federation have measured vast plans and have put them into endorsement We would like to pay attention to the history of ladies volleyball in Iran. Girls of National teams have experience of 3 times participation in the Asian championships it goes back to long years which were occurred prior to the Islamic revelation. The highest result was bronze medal that was achieved in year 1996 at Bangkok. In this year Iran team with nine players stood in front of other Asian teams. They accepted 2 defeat with 3-0 in front of Japan and Korea. But powerfully Iran team could beat 3-0 teams of Burma (now it is called Myanmar), Thailand and Indonesia. Even in a very close match which was going on inch by inch they overcome 3-2 to Philippine woman's team.

Mary Tot, Rohi PANDNAVAZ, Mehri KHARRAZI, Ozra MALEK, Mina FATHI, Nassrin SHOKOUFI, Leila AMANI, Pari FARDI and Jaleh SAIED HADDI ZADEH were players of team.

After teams of Japan and Korea they stood at third stage of Asia. This shows potentially medal achieving excites among the IRAN ladies. By reaching to self-assured in front of invincible rivals they could get medal.

Presence dossier of Iranian ladies doesn't conclude to year 1966 since once more in 1970 the team with ten players such as Mary Tot, Rohi PANDNAVAZ, Mina FATHI, Farkhondeh SALEHI, Parvin SOBHANI, Pari KARIMI, Pari FARDI, Fatemeh SEPANJI, Soror SAADATI and Nssrin KARIMI Head coach was Miloslav EJEM( Dr. EJEM ,FIVB coaches instructor is a good friend to Iran volleyball, he is from CEZH republic) and Ashraf VAHIDIYAN was head delegation. Team went to Asian championship of Thailand. During the championship Iran team tasted flavor of defeat by 3-0 for three times in front of Japan, Korea and Cambodian teams. But she could overcome to teams of Philippine and Thailand by 3-0 . In match VS. Taiwan(Chinese Taipei) our team was winner by 3-2 and in Match against Indonesia, our team by 3-1 as the winner team left the playing ground. In this period of the Asian championship Iran team after Teams of Japan, Korea and Cambodia stood at the 4th place.

In 1974 while Reza JABBARI was chief of the girls Volleyball association of the country. Iran women's team for the first time with 12 players as a complete team Steeped to the Asian games of TEHRAN. Players of team were: Batool HOSSEIN POOR, Mino ESHTYAGH, Pari FARDI, Soror SAADATI, Nahid HOSSEINI, Mina FATHI ,Fatemeh SEPANJI, Mahvash NOURBAKHSH, Malihe PASHAEE, Fahime FARMAN ARA, Giti YEGANEH and Mahvash KAMALIFARD. TADA HIKO KRAD from Japan was Head coach of team. In this championship after teams of Japan, South Korea, China and North Korea the fifth rank came for Iran team. Asian championship of 1974 Tehran was the last presence of Iran ladies in international tournament prior to the Islamic revelation. But the sport authorities after Islamic revelation were not sitting silent and putting hand over hand.

The authorities of Volleyball federation also by 2 years time consulting with Presidents of FIVB and AVC were succeeded to accomplish a great expedient, it was getting approval for participation of women's players with Islamic dress in the international tournaments. This matter Beside its technical debate, from propaganda point lead of Muslim ladies with Islamic dress from other countries to be present in the international sport fields. So ladies of other countries such as Kuwait, Egypt, Syria and made Iran's attempt exemplar action for themselves and some of their players were wearing Islamic dress during the matches.

Women volleyball players of our country were away from Asian Championships, after 3 decades absence, in September 2007 for the first time they experienced taking part at Asian women's championship of Thailand. This 30 years gap had caused a steady motion in volleyball pace of our girls in comparison with volleyball girls of other countries. So they did not experiment a brilliant start. As if among 13 teams ,they got the last ranking of the tournament. 12 players of this team were composed of Somayeh SHIRAZI, Shokoufeh SAFARI, Somayeh RADPOUR, Fatemeh RASHIDI, Zeynab GHIVEH EE, Padideh BLOURIZADEH, Fatemeh SHABAN KHAMSE, Sharzad RIAZI, Pouran ZARE, Samira IMANI, Afsaneh IRANDOOST and Bahreh NIYAZI. The technical staff of the team were Mina FATHI, Head coach – Sima SEDIGHI, coach- Parvaneh SHARIFZADEH assistant coach and Effat NASSR ABADI trainer.

Women's national volleyball team of our country in September 2009 by going to Vietnam experienced her second participation in the Asian women's championship after Islamic revolution. Shabnam ALIKHANI, Fatemeh SHAABAN KHAMSE, Pouran ZARE, Samaneh ROSTAMI ,Bahareh NIYAZI ,Somayeh RADPOUR, Mahta MOHAMMADI, Masoomeh ANGOUTI, Farnoush SHEIKHI , Mahdeyeh KHAJE KALAIEE, Zahra VAHEDI and Safoura GHOLAFSHAN were players. Technical staff were: Sima SEDIGHI head coach, Akram GHAHRAMANI coach, Effat NASRABADI trainer, Amir Hossein MONAZZAMI technical consultant and Fariba SADEGHI head delegation. This team with 5 descending steps with respect to the previous tournament could get the 8th rank and was qualified for the women's Asian cup in 2010 of China. During the Asian cup Iran team could not change her 8th rank.

Now in the current year (2011) women's volleyball national team is experiencing her third participation at the Asian championship. We hope that this team in Chinese Taipei at 14th September 2011 would be able to achieve good results by getting use from her last experience of Asian championship.

Related Link
Iran Women's Sports


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