TEHRAN – Iran national volleyball team opposite spiker Amir Ghafour missed the 2020 Men's Asian Olympic Qualification Tournament due to back injury.

Lube Civitanova announced that Ghafour will have to undergo a forced stop. Following the clinical investigations carried out by the Lube medical staff, the athlete is affected by the right isthmic spondylolysis of L5 from functional overload.

 The injury will keep Ghafour out six to eight weeks.

He was a member of Lube Civitanova in the 2019 World Club Volleyball Championship, where the Italian team claimed the title in Betim, Brazil in early December.  

Ghafour’s absence will be a big blew to the Iranian team who have been drawn in Pool A along with China, Chinese Taipei and Kazakhstan.

Pool B consists of Australia, Qatar, India and Korea.

Eight teams will strut their stuff in the Men’s Tokyo Volleyball Qualification 2020 at Jiangmen Sports Center Gymnasium, China from January 7 to 12, 2020 to vie for the top honor and the lone ticket for the Tokyo 2020.

Iran will start the campaign with a match against Chinese Taipei on Jan. 7 and meet Kazakhstan and China in the following days.