The Iranian current year (between March 20, 2000 and 2001) marks a brilliant period for sports in Hamedan Province, said the Director General of Physical Education of Hamedan Province Yahya Daduei, adding that the officials engaged in different sports fields, sports associations, managers of sports delegations, coaches, and players joined hands to bag medals for their homeland in national, Asian, and international competitions. "The Asian wrestling officials immediately extended their appreciation to the officials of Hamedan for the good job they did in organizing the Asian Youth Wrestling Competitions as well as for the huge turn out of spectators to watch the contests," he said. He added: "They handed over the hosting of the second round of Asian Second Youth Competitions to Hamedan Province affected by the clean and proper way we held the first round. We hope to be able to hold the competitions in an appropriate way, which is of a great importance to the province in the year that has been named the year of 'dialog among civilizations.'" Lauding the officials in charge of sports boards in the province, the director general of physical education in Hamedan said: "In the current year's national sports competitions over 100 champions turned out medalists for Hamedan Province, 80 of who made their way to the national side camps." He added: "In the Asian Swimming Competitions, Ghaem Mirabian won the first gold medal for the country in the diving section. Mohammad-Reza Hedayati managed to win two bronze medals in the competitions. "Meanwhile, Manijeh Kazemi was the sole Iranian female athlete in the Olympic Games in Sydney. "In Bud Kan (one of the martial arts styles) Mohammad-Reza Abdi and Mehdi Nejad-Mosayyeb won two gold medals in the international competitions for our country. "Masoud Manteghi Jokar, wrestler from Hamedan, stood third in Asian contests." He said: "The hockey players Majid Khalaj, Hesam Ayubi, Davoud Nouri, and Reza Fattahi were with the youth national side and Amir Chahardoli with the young adults national side, who were all from Hamedan who were dispatched to competitions in Malaysia and India respectively. "In the meantime, three mountaineers were sent abroad and a hockey coach to the Netherlands. "The youth team of Hamedan Province finished runners-up in the Turkish Cumhurriyet (Republican) Cup." He added: "The youth equestrian team of Hamedan Province secured a second place in the Indian International Horse Riding Contests. Morteza Jenati from the karate team of Hamedan Province won a gold medal in Baku competitions in Azerbaijan." He added: "Hamedan's hockey team finished champions in the country's senior competitions to be picked out for the international competitions in Tatarestan in Russia. However, financial problems failed us to dispatch the squad to the international competitions." As to the performance of coaches and sportsmen in Hamedan Province, the director general of physical education said: "There are currently 32 sports fields for men and 21 fields for women in the province. Totally 351 coaches, 251 men and 100 women train 40,000 sportsmen." Dadouei added: "In the current year 23,192 male athletes and 5,907 sportswomen have been covered by the Physical Education Department General under an insurance policy. The figure has grown by 4,899 persons." In terms of cultural activities carried out alongside the sports competitions, he said: "Since the Leader of the Islamic Revolution has named this year after Imam Ali (AS), all sports contests and competitions are aimed at promoting the champions and contes6tants to the path of Imam Ali (AS). "Qoran recitation and memorization contests, Azan (call to prayer) contest, Islamic teachings contests on the sidelines of karate competitions and among the personnel of this department general, Hadith competitions during the holy month of Ramazan by the Judo Association, book fair called 'Ka'ba', massive turn out of the champions in religious ceremonies and services, Qods Day and Bahman 22 (the day of victory of Islamic Revolution) demonstrations, Imam Ali's (AS) birth anniversary celebrations by the department general in association with the karate, judo and tae kwon do associations, sending cyclists to the tomb of late Imam Khomeini (RA), tomb of Hazrat Zeinab (SA) through Khosravi borders, and contribution to holding drugs exhibition in association with the Governor's Office of Hamedan are some of the cultural activities this department general has carried out." As to development projects, Dadouei said: "63 projects in 9 development plans are underway in the province of which 22 are national projects and the remaining 41 are provincial ones. A total amount of 6 billion and 660 million rials will be spent on the projects to accomplish." He said: "These projects include multi-purpose stadiums, a wrestling stadium, a stadium for women, a ski slope, a resistance base, a football pitch, a swimming pool, and a dormitory for athletes. Twelve of these projects are underway in the cities of Hamedan and Malayer, 8 projects in Tuiserkan, 8 projects in Bahar, 7 projects in Kabudar Ahang and Asadabad, and 6 projects in Nahavand and Razan." To conclude his words, the director general of physical education of Hamedan Province felicitated the 23rd anniversary of the victory of the Islamic Revolution. He said: "The chess building of Hamedan Province has been inaugurated and all champions of the province come together to hold competitions on the occasion of the 10-day Dawn." He appreciated the governor general, Majlis deputies, as well as other officials who contribute to the growth and promotion of sports in the province and give a hand to the sports officials in this way. He called on all of them for cooperation and collaboration.

Director General of Physical Education of Hamedan Province Yahya Daduei called on all officials to contribute to the growth and promotion of sports in Hamedan Province.