TEHRAN - The 74th World Wrestling Championships, held in Tirana, Albania, showcased the dominance of Georgian wrestlers. Despite the presence of athletes from 50 countries, Georgia clinched the top spot.

Iran’s free style team, represented by Ali Momeni, Sina Khalili, Mohammad Nokhodi, and two-time world champion Kamran Ghasempour, fell short of their expectations. The tournament, focusing on non-Olympic weight classes, proved to be particularly challenging for the Iranian team.

Ghasempour, competing in the 92kg weight class, faced off against wrestling giants Abdulrashid Sadulaev and David Taylor. His losses to both competitors were a significant blow to the Iranian team and raised questions about the team's preparation and strategy. While Ghasempour's match against Sadulaev was closely contested, his performance against Taylor was marked by a lack of focus and strategic planning.

Mohammad Nokhodi secured a bronze medal, defeating Jordan Burroughs in the quarterfinals. However, his loss in the semifinals to Georgian wrestler Avtandil Kentchadze was a disappointment. Nokhodi's inconsistent performance, alternating between dominant and lackluster displays, highlighted the team's overall inconsistency.

Iran's third-place finish, behind Georgia and Japan, is a cause for concern. Given the relatively weaker performances of teams like the United States and the absence of Russia, Iran's result is particularly disappointing. Critics argue that the team's poor performance can be attributed to factors such as inadequate training, subpar analysis, and coaching deficiencies.

The spotlight is now on head coach Pejman Dorostkar, who has faced similar criticism following the team's previous disappointing performance. While Nokhodi's bronze medal provided some consolation, the overall performance of the Iranian team has raised serious questions about the Iranian freestyle wrestling.

By Farrokh Hesabi