TEHRAN - Iranian volleyball is going through unusual and exceptional times. Under Behrouz Ataei's leadership last year, the national team made it to the round of 16 in the Volleyball League of Nations (VNL). However, this year, with the same coach, they only won twice and lost 10 times, finishing in 14th place on VNL table.

One of the most significant challenges during the 2023 VNL occurred in the third week when the U.S. government didn’t issue visas for several players and the head coach, resulting in an incomplete team in Anaheim for the last week of the Preliminary Round.

The national team's dressing room was reportedly chaotic, with some players feeling more influential than others. Team Melli suffered “player power” in this edition. They even interfered with technical issues like selecting the coaching staff. The head coach agreed to their demands to prevent further controversy. Behnam Mahmoudi, a prominent Iranian volleyball expert, shared his opinion on the matter with Tehran Times.

“The national team is above any individual, and players cannot meddle in the technical affairs or give orders to the coach. However, I am sure that the current players are professional and consider themselves as soldiers for their team and country,” said Mahmoudi.

Based on some reports, two key players from Iran's national team, who played a crucial role in the VNL, are reportedly considering withdrawal from the team. They were present in all three weeks of the VNL and plan to officially announce their withdrawal from the 2023 Asian Championship.

The Iran national team has three crucial tournaments coming up - the 2023 Asian Men's Volleyball Championship, 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, and the 2024 Olympics qualifiers. However, the team are currently going through a chaotic period that could result in unfavorable outcomes in the upcoming competitions.