Iran's National Olympic Committee has officially named Atousa Golshadnezhad, the reigning world karate champion, and Fazel Atrachali, captain of the national kabaddi team, as the country's flag bearers for the 2026 Asian Games.

The decision was approved during the 66th Executive Board meeting of the National Olympic Committee, held on Tuesday.

Golshadnezhad and Atrachali will lead the Iranian delegation during the opening ceremony in Nagoya, marking a historic milestone as the first athletes from karate and kabaddi to carry the Iranian flag at the Asian Games.

In previous editions, the honor had been reserved for athletes from sports such as wrestling, weightlifting, football, shooting, basketball, and taekwondo.

The 20th Asian Games will take place in Nagoya, Japan, from Sept. 19 to Oct. 3, 2026.

Iran is set to compete with a delegation of 308 athletes across multiple disciplines.

Reporting by Masoud Hossein