TEHRAN – Iranian taekwondo practitioner Armin Hadipour has suffered a third anterior crucial ligament (ACL) tear.

MRI scans have confirmed Hadipour’s injury.

Iran taekwondo coach Fariborz Askari said that the player has sustained the injury but will not undergo a surgery.

“Hadipour will miss the Olympics if he undergoes the surgery. He will be sidelined for six months after the surgery. After consulting with the doctors, we’ve decided to keep him fit for the Olympics without the surgery,” Askari said.

 “Mohammad Bagheri Motamed won a silver medal at London 2012 under the same circumstances. Hadipour will undergo the surgery after the Tokyo Olympic Games,” he added.

Hadipour participated in the 2019 World Taekwondo Grand Prix in Moscow and managed to get an Olympics quota by reaching the semifinals.