TEHRAN – Mehdi Alinejad, Secretary General of the National Olympic Committee (NOC), has declared that Iran's athletes fully met expectations at the 6th Asian Beach Games in Sanya, China.

Speaking at a press conference held at the NOC headquarters, Alinejad praised the performance of Iran's delegation, highlighting the strategic decision to arrive early as a key factor.

"One of the reasons for our success was traveling to Sanya 10 days ahead of the competition. We achieved a historic result and secured third place overall. Out of 10 disciplines, seven disciplines won medals, and we finished just one medal behind Thailand — all while Iran did not participate in women's events due to cultural considerations. To accomplish this with only half of the country's sports capacity is a remarkable feat," Alinejad said.

Addressing the development of women's sports, he added: "In all five previous editions of the Asian Beach Games, only men's teams were sent due to cultural considerations regarding women's attire. However, the growth of women's sports remains firmly on our agenda. We achieved very strong results in women's events at the Olympics, and the NOC is fully committed to supporting women's athletics."

Alinejad also singled out the performance of Iran's team sports: "In handball, kabaddi, and water polo, we secured historic victories against Qatar, India, and China. Our beach soccer team successfully defended their title as well. I believe our team sports exceeded all expectations in Sanya."

On the question of Iran's U23 national football team and the delay in appointing a head coach, Alinejad was clear: "All matters concerning the U23 team have been delegated to the Football Federation. It is their responsibility to make decisions regarding the team, and we will not interfere. However, we do expect the Federation to act swiftly and appoint a coach as soon as possible."